Fearless
by Blue-Winter-Angel
Summary: Amber's now in her fifth year and things aren't getting any easier. With the Ministry interfering at Hogwarts, Harry's strange behavior and the threat lurking in the shadows, it's going to be a struggle for all involved.
1. Dream Once More

**BWA: Oh! Look, look!  
Emmett: Hey! I remember you! -Waves-  
BWA: Welcome back!  
Amber: -Throws confetti-  
Cedric: -Presses button-  
-Balloons fall from the ceiling-  
Emmett: Balloons! -Cheers-  
BWA: -Laughs- Welcome to Fearless, everyone!  
Harry: Woo!  
BWA: We've been away for a while, haven't we?  
Hermione: Far too long.  
BWA: I know, but it's good to be back, huh?  
Ron: It's great.  
BWA: Well, for those of you who don't know, this is the fifth story in my little saga. If you're only just joining us, you might want to go back and read the prequels, particularly "A Full Moon" and "My Heart" otherwise this will be a little confusing for you.  
Cedric: Mainly because I'm still alive.  
BWA: -Grins- That's probably got something to do with it.  
Amber: It's a good thing, though.  
BWA: So yes, Cedric is still alive! I had a ball working him into this story, so I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it.  
Emmett: I'm back, too!  
BWA: Of course. As usual, Emmett, my partner in crime will be joining us. He never leaves me alone.  
Emmett: You love it.  
BWA: -Shrugs-  
Emmett: Ha! I win.  
BWA: -Laughs- Don't let us distract you any longer, because you know we will! I'm so excited to start this next chapter in Amber's saga and I hope you enjoy it. So, once again, welcome to Fearless!  
Emmett: Onward!**

**Disclaimer: Everything but Amber and her family belongs to J.K Rowling. **

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**_Chapter One  
Dream Once More _**

Leaning my head back against the tree trunk behind me, I closed my eyes and sighed; Bella continued to swoop around, looking for something to eat in the still night. It was far too hot to sleep, so I made my way outside to spend some quality time with my thoughts, my eyes dancing over the stars, coming to rest on the large moon that cast a luminous glow over the town.

Ever since Voldemort returned during the Third Task earlier in the year, everyone we knew was on high alert; especially the Order.

The Order of the Phoenix was a secret group that had been created years ago; I didn't know much about it, but both my parents were a part of the organization. As were Lupin, Tonks, Sirius, the Weasley's… well, everyone we knew, really.

We were planning to leave for the Order's HQ tomorrow morning; my parents and I were needed there. Dumbledore had written to me not too long after holidays began, asking me to keep an eye on Harry while we were away from Hogwarts. The Order was doing their best to protect him as stealthily as they could, but they needed someone who could keep an eye on him at all times.

That's where I come in.

Thankfully, Harry had managed to stay out of trouble over the last few months. His relatives were as cruel as ever; he was always feeling frustrated whenever I checked in on him. Dumbledore had made us promise that we would cut ourselves off from him for the duration of the holidays; he needed to be in a world untainted by the Dark Magic we were fighting against. Nonetheless, I wrote to Ron and Hermione as often as I could to let them know how Harry was doing. I was their only link to him; it drove Ron mad half the time.

I cracked an eye open as Bella landed silently on the tree branch above my head. She tilted her head to the side, and I blinked, suddenly seeing myself through blue tinted eyes. Bella felt nothing in particular, she was just watching, letting me know that she registered the fact that I was there. She enjoyed the company. Her white feathers glowed in the moonlight, the few streaks of black around her face resembling shadows from this angle.

Bella had done quite a bit of travelling over the last few months; Cedric and I would write to each other almost every day. Bella would always show me the expression that she had seen on his face when she brought him a new letter.

Being away from Cedric was something I hated, but we visited each other frequently. Two weeks ago, my parents and I had gone to visit him and his family; closing my eyes again, I let the memory resurface.

_I was not allowed to apparate yet, but Mum and Dad were. It was a bit like using a Portkey; it threw you around a bit, making your stomach twist and your head spin. But it got you to where you wanted to go, and there was only minimal dizziness at the end of it._

"_You're getting better at this, Amber." Mum had complimented; the first time I had to sit down for a while to avoid vomiting._

_I rolled my eyes at her, walking forward slowly, waiting for the world to tip upright. There was always a moment of disorientation, even with my sharp senses._

_Cedric and his parents lived in a rather secluded area, much like the Weasley's. There was a beautiful long path, or drive I suppose you could say, that led to their house. That's where we were. Smiling softly, I tipped my head back, letting the warm light of the sunrise tingle over my skin._

_Mum and Dad walked silently behind me, watching as I enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells around me._

"_Amber!" A deep voice cried, and my heart leapt into my throat._

_There, standing in the middle of the path not too far from us, was Cedric. It was early in the morning, and I couldn't help but wonder when he had gotten up, or if he had gone to bed at all the night before._

"_Cedric," I breathed, letting my legs push me forward as I broke into a sprint._

_I crashed into him and he pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me as I buried my face in his chest; it had been weeks since I had seen him, and my heart raced with the knowledge that we were together. I never wanted to leave._

"_I missed you," he whispered into my hair. "God, I missed you."_

_I shivered at the sound of his voice, smooth, deep and loving. I squeezed my arms tighter around him, giggling quietly against his shirt, overjoyed to be his arms again._

"_Look at me, Amber." He said softly. "I can't go another second without seeing your face." I leaned back and looked up at him, my breath catching in my throat._

_His hair was a mess, as always; I wondered briefly how many times he had run his hands through it in his impatience. The bronze undertones caught the morning sun and stood out against the soft brown locks they mixed with; silently, I raised my arm and threaded my fingers into his hair. He sighed, relaxing under my touch._

_My eyes continued to skim over his face as we stood there, wrapped in each others arms. I wanted to memorize every single change in his face since I saw him last, and I refused to be distracted._

_His jaw was more defined, and I traced it with my fingertips; his nose was straight and his lips were a light shade of pink and pulled up in my favourite half smile. I took a breath to calm myself down before I met his eyes._

_My mind went blank._

_My thoughts had never done his face justice, but to compare the eyes in my thoughts to the eyes I was looking at now… I had no words. His eyes were such perfection, and could never be duplicated, even through thoughts._

_Sky blue and a soft shade of green swirled about in his eyes, glittering with happiness; they took my breath away._

"_Cedric…" I whispered, tilting my head up, indicating that I wanted a kiss._

_He smiled at me and leaned down, bumping his nose against mine; he kissed my chin, my cheeks, my forehead, my eyelids and the tip of my nose before he finally met my lips._

_Oh, how I had missed this._

_We melted against each other, our arms squeezing tighter, our lips caressing with gentle movements. I parted my lips under his and he smiled into our kiss, running his tongue over my bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth. I tugged lightly on his hair, my other hand cradling his jaw. _

_I felt his left hand touch my neck before he let his fingers glide through my hair. Pulling away, he kissed my lips once more, so sweetly that I felt my eyes prickle with tears. My eyes fluttered open and he smiled at me, reaching up to stroke my cheek._

"_I love you," he whispered, leaning in and pressing his forehead to mine._

_I smiled, nuzzling his nose with mine. "I love you, too."_

Opening my eyes, I sighed; he had written to me this morning, reminding me that we didn't have much longer to go before we would see each other again. I tried to check in on him whenever I had the chance; my range of sight had doubled. Lupin and Sirius had said that with each year, my range would double; eventually, I would be able to see through someone's eyes across the world.

While I spent time at Cedric's, I had been introduced to his parents. His father I had met before; but it was a completely different experience meeting his mother. Madeline Diggory was something else; she had her son's hair, a light brown but swimming with bronze undertones. Her eyes were a bright blue, but there were hints of green around the edges; she was sweet, funny and so easy to talk to.

My parents absolutely adored Cedric; he got along great with my dad, and mum loved to watch the two of us interact, seeing how we moved around each other.

Madeline was very curious about my abilities, asking what had matured since we had finished school for the year; I told her that I still had a lot to learn.

I had practiced with Lupin whenever he came to visit, filling my parents in on what was happening over at the Order. In my fourth year, I had begun to cast spells without the use of a wand, and that's what we focused on. I was still a little sketchy, but the improvement was spectacular.

Other than that, protecting myself from Dark Magic was the other big focus. Sirius had suggested testing me with small doses, weaker spells, so that I could work around the burn. It hurt like all hell, but I knew it was a bridge I had to cross. So far, I was doing well; no one liked it when I started screaming, though.

Bella hooted quietly above me, calling to the moon. I smiled at her and she looked down at me again; her sight overtook mine, and I laughed under my breath when she focused on the dark circles under my eyes. With all the watching and checking in I had been doing lately, I was a little tired.

"Okay, okay, I'm going." I mumbled, the emotion in her thoughts growing more and more persistent. She wanted the dark circles gone; thanks to my gift, I had become so attuned to Bella. She used that extra sense to nag me when she knew something was wrong; she was an intelligent creature, and even though she couldn't give me any advice, she still listened silently whenever I needed to talk about anything.

Getting up off the ground, I brushed the dirt and grass off my pyjama bottoms before I walked back to the house, slipping silently inside and jogging up the stairs to my room. Bella was sitting happily on my windowsill, and she continued to hoot at the moon; I kissed her feathery cheek and lay down on my bed, my weary thoughts going quiet as I drifted off to sleep.

~*~

_Darkness… cold, unusual darkness…_

_It felt wrong, it made him nervous. _

_The lights iced over, the bulbs flickering behind the glass._

_Everything was silent except for their heavy, nervous breaths and the pitter patter of the rain as it fell heavily on both sides of the small tunnel._

_Heart racing, he took a steadying breath and turned around; unprepared for the large, cloaked creature that hovered in the air behind him. _

_Before he had time to react, a clawed hand wrapped around his neck, lifting him into the air and shoving him against the stone wall; his voice came out cracked and strangled, but his cousin had to be warned._

"_Dudley… run."_

_His heart leapt frantically in his chest as he watched his cousin try to escape; but he slipped and fell on a patch of ice that had materialized in the sudden chill brought on by the Dementor that chose to attack them._

_To his shock, another Dementor swooped in through the tunnel entrance; desperate to help, he turned back to the Dementor but his body went rigid, his mind going fuzzy as the cloaked creature inhaled deeply. He began to feel weak; his vision blurred and shimmered as he danced on the edge of consciousness. Distantly, he heard the confused, desperate cries of his cousin, a muggle who could not see the dark creature above him._

_His chest heaved as he struggled to right his thoughts, his arms twitching against the cool cement behind him. His wand… his wand was in his pocket. Desperately, he reached down and pulled his wand from his pocket, jabbing the Dementor roughly in the side of the head._

_Shocked, the creature loosened his grip, and the boy fell to the ground. The echoing taps of his wand landing on the cement a small distance away made him nervous, and he hurriedly shuffled backwards as the Dementor turned and lunged for him again. Feeling the wood under his fingertips, his grasped his wand tightly and stretched his arm out in front of him._

"_Expecto Patronum!" He cried breathlessly, watching as the bright flash of light shot from the tip of his wand, wrapping around the Dementor and pushing it out of the tunnel and into the distance. Turning around, he saw his cousin struggling weakly on the ground; he stood and, swinging his arm, whipped the protecting light back through the tunnel, forcing the other Dementor away._

~*~

I shot upright in my bed, my heart racing and breaths coming in short, rapid gasps. I pressed my hand to my chest, feeling my heart beating wildly against my palm. My skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat and my mouth was dry; Bella was watching me, her wings flapping madly as she panicked.

I tipped my head forward and tried to regulate my breathing; the thoughts in the dream were so vivid and familiar. I would recognise them anywhere. It was Harry…

And he had just been attacked.

* * *

**BWA: Woo!  
Emmett: Straight into the drama, huh?  
BWA: Of course.  
Amber: And that is why you suck.  
BWA: Shut your face.  
Amber: -Grumbles-  
Cedric: -Laughs-  
Emmett: She got to lock lips with her boy toy, that should be good enough.  
Amber: ... -Smiles-  
Emmett: There we go!  
BWA: So, what did you think? Like it? Excited for the next chapter? Let me know!  
Ron: When do we come in?  
BWA: Uh.. next chapter, I think.  
Hermione: Don't mind him, he's just impatient.  
Emmett: He also has red hair.  
Ron: -Whines- Don't start that again.  
Emmett: -Grins- I make no promises.  
Harry: Sucks for you, man.  
Cedric: Anything else left to say?  
BWA: There sure is. For those of you who don't know, I now have a blog for my stories. I've started something called Teaser Tuesday, basically, whenever I've got a story running, I post a teaser for the new chapter every Tuesday. You can also find photo teasers, playlists, banners and all sorts of other crazy things over there. And yes, Fearless has a banner, so why not head over and have a look? The link is on my profile.  
Emmett: I can see your lips moving but all I hear is "blah, blah, blah."  
BWA: Oh, shut up.  
Amber: -Laughs-  
BWA: Well, that's about it from us. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Reviews are love, dear readers, and we love you.  
Emmett: Aww.  
BWA: -Smiles- We'll see you again soon!  
Everyone: -Cheers-  
Emmett: Balloons!  
Amber: -Throws more confetti- **


	2. What Do You Want From Me?

**Emmett: Go fish!  
Harry: -Whines-  
BWA: What on earth are you two doing?  
Emmett: Playing Go Fish.  
BWA: Oh.  
Hermione: Who's winning?  
Emmett: Me, of course.  
Amber: -Laughs- That's only because your reflexes are faster.  
Emmett: Shh.  
Cedric: Why don't you verse Amber then, Emmett?  
Emmett: .. No.  
Ron: -Grins- Because you know she'll win.  
Emmett: Psh.  
BWA: -Smiles- Okay, I got incredibly carried away with this chapter. It managed to reach a total of 14 pages. 14! How crazy is that?  
Hermione: It's pretty crazy.  
Emmett: Harry's pretty crazy.  
Harry: I am not!  
Amber: He's just angsty.  
Harry: I hate you all.  
Cedric: And emo.  
BWA: Alright, leave the troubled boy alone. -Smiles- Emmett and Amber are going to verse each other in Go Fish while you read, so we'll see you down below!**

**Disclaimer: We know what belongs to J.K Rowling and what belongs to me.. need I say more? **

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Chapter Two  
What Do You Want From Me?

The letter came not too long after I woke.

_Amber,  
__I'm sure by now you'll know what's happened, so I won't waste time explaining.  
__The Ministry know Harry used magic and they're not happy about it.  
__We need you here with the Order, get here as soon as you can.  
__Arthur Weasley._

"He was attacked?" My mother asked as I pulled my hair out from under the neckline of my shirt. It had grown over the break, the longest strands brushed against the small of my back. "By what?"

"Dementor's," I answered, sitting down to pull on my shoes.

My father turned around, his eyes wide. "In Little Whinging? What on earth were they doing there?"

"I'm guessing that's what they're trying to find out." I answered, shrugging. Bella sat on the back of the couch, nipping tenderly at my hair. I reached back and stroked her cheek; we had already packed my things for school this year, because I had a strong sense that we would be at HQ until we had to go to platform 9¾.

When we were ready, we stood in the middle of the room; Bella had flown out the window, making her way to the Order. I steadied myself, feeling my body lurch as we apparated.

Snapping to a standstill, I swayed for a moment, waiting for my head to clear. We were right in front of a door; Dad smiled at me before he turned the handle and ushered us inside. We barely made it down the hall before Mrs Weasley came rushing out to meet us. She greeted my parents before pulling me into her arms.

"How are you doing, my dear?" She asked, leaning away to hold me at arms length.

"I'm alright," I replied, knowing that she was referring to me seeing Harry's attack. "Where is everyone?"

"In the dining room, they've been there for the last hour. Arthur sent for you as soon as we heard; they're waiting for you." She patted me on the shoulder, keeping her hand there as we walked down the hall. I saw Dad veer off to carry my things upstairs; Mum walked behind me, her fingers pressing gently against the small of my back.

"Amber," Mr Weasley greeted cheerfully when we entered the room they were gathered in. "I see you got my letter alright."

"Yes, I did." I answered, my eyes skimming over the few faces in the room. "Not too long after I woke…" I paused. "Where are the others?"

"Off to get Harry," Sirius spoke up, watching me. "I hate to ask this of you so quickly, Amber. But do you mind checking in on him, just to see if he's okay?"

"Of course," I soothed him. It was my job to protect his godson.

Leaning back against my mother, I relaxed and searched for Harry's familiar sight. He was sleeping, but there were pictures dancing behind his eyelids. The bright blue tint I had grown so used to washed over my eyes, and I flinched at what I saw.

_Cedric's bewildered expression as Wormtail carried Voldemort out into the open graveyard…_

_The two of us being thrown backwards, the killing curse wrapping around my shield, giving the illusion that it had killed us both; the shattering grief that had overwhelmed him when he heard our bodies hit the ground._

My breathing skipped and I pulled away from his eyes, gasping for breath; those memories were hard to look back on. It was a time I would much rather forget but I knew that it was impossible.

"He's fine," I whispered. "Just dreaming… he was waking, though. I could hear a group of people in the background."

Sirius nodded, concerned for his godson. "They must have just arrived."

Mum led me to the table, making me sit down; I smiled at her, glad to have the chance to catch my breath. "So, what's happening with the Ministry? Mr Weasley mentioned the fact that they are aware of this."

Lupin nodded, tenting his fingers on the table. "Dumbledore persuaded the Minister to suspend his expulsion; instead, they've organized a formal hearing."

"A hearing?" I asked in disbelief. "He was trying to protect himself!"

"You'll have a hard time convincing the Minister of that," he replied calmly, understanding my distress. "But for now, relax. We'll discuss it later, go upstairs and see the others." He smiled at me, but I could see the strain behind it. "You deserve a moment or two to clear your head."

I nodded, high strung and worried after hearing all this. Mum rubbed my shoulders and kissed my hair as I stood; I looked at the others who were watching my face with curious expressions. I smiled tightly before I turned and left the room, jogging up the stairs.

Both Ron and Hermione were happy to see me, as were Fred and George; but they were all curious to know what happened with the Dementor's.

"Did you see everything?" Ron asked, worried for his best friend.

I shrugged. "I don't know how much I missed, but I think I saw the important parts. The Dementor's came out of nowhere… Dudley got ambushed, too. Harry managed to fight them off, but the minute they were gone, I woke up." I shook my head, frustrated.

"Hey, calm down." Fred soothed me, squeezing my hand. "So far, you know the most out of the lot of us." I looked up at him with worried eyes. "It'll be okay."

"Dumbledore is doing everything he can to make sure that Harry gets a fair trial." George added, shrugging. "We'll have to wait and see on that one."

"The Ministry is never fair," I answered. "They think only of themselves. You saw how Fudge refused to believe Harry when he said Voldemort returned, even with confirmation." I dropped my head into my free hand. "What a mess."

Hermione looked through whatever books she could find, listing fact after fact to try and back up the statement that the Ministry could not expel Harry for defending himself. Despite how fidgety I was, I fell asleep in Fred's arms; my mind needed to protect itself from the onslaught of new information, needed time to process it.

I woke to a commotion downstairs; Fred and George were gone, but Ron and Hermione were sitting on the bed by my feet. Hermione had just closed the book she was reading, looking at the door, waiting for it to open. Ron smiled slightly, patting my foot. Sitting up and running a hand through my hair, I smiled back at him, feeling slightly more relaxed after resting without interruption.

We heard footsteps nearing the door, and the moment it opened, Hermione shot up off the bed and launched herself at Harry, wrapping her arms around him. After a moment, she leaned back and held him at arms length. "Are you alright?" She asked, her voice almost an octave higher with worry; she didn't give him time to answer. "We overheard them talking about the Dementor attack." She paused for half a second. "You must tell us everything."

"Let the man breathe, Hermione." Ron teased from behind her.

"And this hearing at the Ministry," she continued, ignoring him. "It's just outrageous. I've looked it up, they simply can't expel you. It's completely unfair."

We watched as Harry slowly walked around her, wandering across the room. "Yeah, there's a lot of that going around at the moment." I turned to face him, sitting cross-legged on the bed. "So, what is this place?" He asked, looking around the room.

"It's Head Quarters," Ron answered, smiling a little.

"Of the Order of the Phoenix," Hermione continued. "It's a secret society; Dumbledore formed it back when they first fought You-Know-Who."

Harry shuffled forward slightly before he spoke. His hair was shorter… the Dursley's must have made him get a haircut. "You couldn't have put any of this in a letter, I suppose?" His voice shook with his frustration. "I've gone all summer without a scrap of news."

"We wanted to write, mate." Ron replied quietly. "Really, we did… only…"

"Only what?" Harry asked, confused and frustrated all at once.

"Only Dumbledore made us swear not to tell you anything." Hermione answered quickly.

Harry was silent, and I suddenly felt horribly guilty for keeping all this information from him. He deserved to know, but I understood Dumbledore's reasoning. "Dumbledore said that?" He asked quietly, surprised.

We were silent.

"But why would he want to keep me in the dark, I mean, maybe I could help?" Harry asked, his voice getting faster and louder as his frustration began to peak. "After all, I'm the one who saw Voldemort return; I'm the one who fought him, I'm the one who saw Cedric and Amber almost get killed."

I flinched, remembering the flashes in his dreams. He met my eyes and sighed, taking a breath to calm himself; it did no good for we all jumped when Fred and George appeared out of nowhere.

"Harry," George greeted, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder before sitting down on the bed.

"Thought we heard your dulcet tones," Fred continued, grinning.

"Don't bottle it up though, mate." George said. "Let it out."

Fred smiled at me, soothing me with his happy expression. "Anyway, if you're all done shouting…"

"Do you want to hear something a little more interesting?" George finished, winking at me.

I smiled.

The twins led us out to the stairwell; we didn't say a word, this was our attempt at stealth, no one wanted to screw it up. Harry squeezed my hand when they touched and I smiled at him, leaning my head on his shoulder for a moment as we came to a stop, leaning against the rail.

Fred pulled out an ear attached to a string and I raised my eyebrows; if I concentrated, I could hear the downstairs conversations just fine. He poked his tongue out at me, holding the object out over the gap in the stairwell, slowly lowering it down towards the bottom level.

"_If anyone has a right to know, it's Harry. If it wasn't for Harry we wouldn't even know Voldemort was back. He's not a child, Molly."_

I looked up at the boys, grinning in disbelief as Sirius' voice floated up to us, clear as day.

"_Well he's not an adult, either!" _Mrs Weasley shot back. _"He's not James, Sirius."_

"_Well he's not your son."_

"_He's as good as."_

We all looked up when we heard footsteps coming down the hall. Ginny squeezed in between Fred and George. We greeted her silently, while Harry spoke his hello.

"_Who else has he got?" _Mrs Weasley continued.

"_He's got me." _Sirius replied.

"_How touchingly paternal, Black." _My eyes widened in shock as Snape's voice reached my ears. _"Perhaps Potter will grow up to be a felon, just like his godfather."_

"_Now you stay out of this, Snivellus." _

I looked down the stairwell to see Crookshanks staring curiously at the ear dangling in mid air.

"Snape's part of the Order?" Harry asked, distracting me.

"Git," Ron shot out, and I smiled.

Suddenly, Crookshanks lunged for the ear, pulling it to the ground. It didn't break of from the string, but high pitched static squeals filled the air around us and I flinched at the sound. Everyone began quietly abusing the fluffy cat, telling it to get away. I loosened my jaw and hissed at it; it looked up at me before breaking the ear away from the string and running off with the object in its mouth.

"Hermione, I hate your cat." George mumbled.

"Bad Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered.

Ron laughed.

* * *

"Well," Mrs Weasley began as we made our way down the stairs once the meeting was finished. "We'll be eating down in the kitchen." Fred and George popped up behind her and she shouted in surprise. Turning around, she slapped their arms as they ran off, laughing. "Just because you're allowed to use magic now does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything!" She scolded.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Hi, Mum." Ginny said quietly as she passed. Ron followed quietly.

"You hungry, Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked in a more soothing tone.

Mr Weasley came up behind her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You sure you're alright, Harry?" He asked. "Gave us quite a turn."

"Harry Potter."

Mr and Mrs Weasley stepped aside to reveal Sirius standing in the doorway. I watched as Harry's face lit up and he said his godfathers name through a relieved exhale. Not wasting any time, he walked forward and embraced his last living relative, smiling brightly.

"This is very, very peculiar," Mr Weasley mused as we sat down for dinner. I noticed Fred glaring at Crookshanks who was still licking his lips. Personally, I couldn't imagine ear tasting very nice. Tonks was amusing Ginny with different animal faces; one minute she had a pig snout, the next she had a beak. "It seems that your hearing at the Ministry is to be before the entire Wizengamot."

"I don't understand, what has the Ministry of Magic got against me?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused. I put my hand on his shoulder as the others fell silent.

"Show him," Moody said in his deep, rumbly voice. We all turned to look at him. "He'll find out soon enough."

I bit down on my bottom lip, realizing what they were going to show him. He looked at me with wide eyes, still not understanding; I nodded towards Kingsley who shook out the local paper before handing it to Harry. I let my eyes skim over the heading.

_The Boy Who Lies?_

Underneath it was a photo of Harry from the Triwizard Tournament; after a few seconds, it flickered to a different article. A photo of Fudge replaced Harry's and the title changed to, _Fudge: "All is well."_ I couldn't stop the soft growl that passed my lips. What a liar.

"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well," Sirius said. I tore my eyes away from the paper and focused on him. "Fudge is using all his power, including his influence at the Daily Prophet to smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned."

"Why?" Harry asked, frustrated.

"The Minister thinks Dumbledore's after his job," Lupin explained.

"But that's insane." Harry shot back. "No one in their right mind could believe that Dumbledore –"

"Exactly the point, Fudge isn't in his right mind." Lupin interrupted. "It's been twisted and warped by fear." He paused. "Now, fear makes people do terrible things, Harry. The last time Voldemort gained power he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear." I glanced over at my parents at the other end of the table, my heart clenching. "Now he's returned and I'm afraid the Minister will do almost anything to avoid facing that terrifying truth."

"We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again," Sirius began, and I could tell that he was choosing his words carefully. "Fourteen years ago he had huge numbers at his command and not just witches and wizards but all manner of dark creatures." He paused, his eyes flicking between Harry and me. "He's been recruiting heavily and we've been attempting to do the same. But gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in."

Moody cleared his throat and I squeezed Harry's shoulder, glancing over at my parents who were watching me with curious expressions.

Sirius hesitated before he continued. "We believe… Voldemort may be after something." Mrs Weasley, who had been chopping vegetables, stopped and looked up with wide eyes.

"Sirius," Moody warned.

Harry looked straight ahead, his jaw tight. His shoulder twitched under my hand and I squeezed it, trying to keep him calm.

"Something he didn't have last time…" Sirius finished after a moment of silence.

Harry took a moment to think about it. "You mean, like… a weapon."

"No." Mrs Weasley interrupted just as Sirius went to speak. "That's enough." She walked over to Harry, placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on mine for a brief moment. "He's just a _boy._" She snatched the paper off the table. "You say much more and you might as well induct him into the Order straight away. It's bad enough that you're considering that future for Amber."

"Good, I want to join!" Harry said, hopeful. "If Voldemort's raising an army then I want to fight."

Sirius clapped once, relaxing back into his chair with a smug smile on his face. Harry smiled weakly and Sirius winked at him.

After a few moments, conversation started again and dinner passed in a relaxed fashion; but I noticed the tiny bit of tension everyone held in their posture. When Mrs Weasley began ushering people off to bed, Sirius spoke before I could stand.

"Amber, do you mind staying behind for a moment?"

I shook my head and sat back down, feeling a fleeting moment of panic.

Once the others had gone to bed, the adults gathered closer together around the table. My parents came to sit by my sides; Dad stretched his arm out over the back of my chair, curling one of my ringlets around his fingers. My emerald eyes flicked over each face, curious.

"Amber," Lupin began calmly, as always. "Your parents have been a part of the Order almost as long as we have." I nodded slowly, feeling as though I knew where this was going. "For quite a while now, we've been thinking of offering that position to you."

"But, I'm not old enough…" I replied quietly. "I'm not allowed."

"We've gone over that, too, believe me." He said, a smile twitching at his lips. "But… you're completely unique, Amber. We need someone like you in the Order."

I was torn, so I decided to say what was on my mind. "Of course I want to help; if I'm of any use to you, I'll help at a moments notice." I stopped to glance at my mother. She nodded encouragingly at me. "But, I'm still learning… there's so much I have yet to grasp."

Lupin dipped his head, understanding. Sirius spoke up before his friend could continue.

"We know that, Amber." He soothed me. "We're just saying that the offer is there."

Mrs Weasley shook her head. "Why are you doing this to the poor girl?" She asked, leaning forward so that she could look at each person that sat at the table. "She's got enough on her plate as it is; who knows what Dumbledore will ask of her this year? She's already looking out for Harry, learning about what she's capable of, strengthening what she's familiar with… and she's looking out for Cedric." Silence fell over the room as I bit my lip. "You don't understand how much he means to her…"

"That's just it, Molly." Lupin answered quickly, reassuring. "We do." He looked at me, smiling a little. "Amber only falls in love when she finds her soul mate; nothing is stronger than that kind of love. She would give her life for him, as he would for her."

"Exactly," she shot back. "So you still want to induct her into the Order where there's every chance of her dying trying to protect the rest of us?" Dad's arm tensed behind my head. Neither of my parents had said a word, wanting to know how this argument played out.

Lupin sighed and rubbed at his jaw; I wondered just how many times they had had this argument.

"If I may say something…?" I said quietly. Sirius nodded at me. "I'm more than happy to help, you know that. I have these gifts… these powers… for a reason. If you need me, I'll help." I was going around in circles. I wanted to join the Order, but I didn't at the same time.

"Amber, sweetheart; no one is asking you to make a decision right now." Mum said gently, trying to sooth me.

"I know that," I answered, trying to keep my frustration and anxiety from showing. "But, because of what I am, what I'm capable of… these are the things I have to consider. There are people out there that need me. I am a huge asset to have; they need me." My shoulders slumped. "They need me…" I whispered again. "I can't say no to that."

The others were silent until my father spoke up. "Amber, we all know that you're still learning. Sure, being a part of the Order is a big thing… but as we said before, no one is asking you to make a decision right now. You can join and fight with them, and us, when you're ready."

Even though they had been doing it for years, knowing that my parents had fought in this war years ago made my stomach twist. I sniffed, feeling tears sting the back of my eyes.

"Whether I'm ready or not, you'll know I'll fight." I shoved my hands into my hair, frustrated and scared. "I can't stress this enough," I said, looking over each face in the room. "If you need me, I'll fight with you. I can't refuse people that need my help. As you said, I'm unique and you need me in this fight. I'm just… I'm not ready yet." I took a deep breath, trying to stop my voice from shaking. "Cedric… he's everything to me and I almost lost him last year. I can't… to think of putting myself in the position that quite possibly could take me out of his life forever, no matter how well I can protect you and myself… it's too much." I let out a weak laugh. "Excuse the irony, but it _kills _me to think about that."

Mum ran her fingers down my cheek, catching a tear that had fallen as I spoke. "Sweetheart…" Her eyes were pained and I leaned my face towards her welcomed touch.

"I've said it many times and I'll say it again; I'll fight with you." I met Lupin's eyes, trying to get this to sink in. "But when I feel that I'm ready and that I'm actually worthy to fight by your side."

Lupin nodded; he knew my powers better than anyone. He was who I turned to. Reaching over the table, he took the hand that I had stretched towards him. "When you're ready." He repeated. "We'd be honoured to have you fight with us, when you're ready."

I saw Mrs Weasley relax against her husband, glad to know that I hadn't taken them up on their offer just yet. Just the fact that they were offering this position to a fifteen year old shocked me more than words could express. I felt honoured, but absolutely terrified at the same time.

"Well," Mum began. "I think it's time we got our daughter to go to bed."

I looked at her, smiling gratefully. I was starting to get weary again. "Bed sounds wonderful right now, to be honest."

We all stood; Lupin hugged me close, kissing the top of my head. Sirius, Tonks and Mr and Mrs Weasley hugged me as well. Moody put his hand on my shoulder and nodded understandingly. Kingsley smiled and tipped his hat; Dad wrapped his arm around my shoulders as he and Mum led me upstairs. When we reached the room I shared with Hermione and Ginny, they both pulled me in for a hug.

"We're so proud of you, Amber." Mum whispered in my ear. "And we love you, never forget that."

"You're mature beyond your years, sweetheart." Dad said proudly. "That Phoenix chose well; I don't think anyone else could handle powers and responsibility like this. As they said downstairs, you're completely unique."

I smiled and hugged them both again before saying goodnight and wandering into my room, moving as quietly as possible. Ginny and Hermione were already fast asleep; silently, I changed clothes, said goodnight to Bella who was snoozing in her spot on the back of a chair, and wriggled into bed.

I never fully cleared my head, but I did manage to get to sleep.

* * *

On the day of Harry's hearing, Mr Weasley and I accompanied him to the Ministry. Everyone had insisted I go after Mr Weasley provided me with the knowledge that I was under Ministry protection. While I wasn't exactly overjoyed about that, it allowed me access to most parts of the Ministry, one of which was Harry's hearing. I refused to let him do this alone.

Seeing Mr Weasley interact with Muggles and Muggle technology was incredibly amusing. Especially when we went underground to catch the train and he had to put his ticket into the machine to get past a little checkpoint.

"Here we are," he announced, coming to a stop at a little telephone booth. I raised an eyebrow; they couldn't have been any more subtle? "I've never used the visitors entrance before, should be fun." He said, holding the door open for Harry and me.

"Should be squished is more like it," I groaned, pressing my back up against the door to give the others some more room. Harry smiled, laughing a little.

"I'll just get my Muggle money," Mr Weasley mumbled to himself. I couldn't see what he was doing, but soon enough, we started to lower underground.

We moved slowly, and it was dark for the most part, but when we broke free of the small tunnel, flashes of colour danced around below us. Harry reached over and squeezed my hand, using my presence to calm his nerves as the booth came to rest on the ground. I turned to him, smiling a little as the door opened.

We stepped out into the sea of people and I realized that it felt like we were part of a current, moving at the same speed, in the same direction. I watched as bright green flashes went off on both sides of the room; people stepping out of fireplaces, having used the Floo network.

The Ministry of Magic was a rather amazing thing to see; bigger than I could have imagined but still cramped with people. Huge arches and what looked like small buildings pressed up against the walls. A large fountain was in the middle of the square, different creatures all plated gold. A bit poster of Cornelius Fudge hung from the roof in the big square; Harry looked over to me, his jaw tight, his stress returning. He had dressed smartly for the occasion, light pants, his shirt tucked in and a light brown jacket. I had thrown on jeans, a simple long sleeved shirt and a jacket.

Harry and Mr Weasley smiled tightly when they heard me growling at the poster.

We hurried to a room that was circular in shape, elevators built into the wall a few feet apart the entire way around. I sighed as we stepped into a crowded elevator; a plump man with a ratty grey beard and frizzled hair holding a cardboard box peeked at us as we squished our way into the group.

"Morning Arthur," he greeted.

"Morning Bob," Mrs Weasley replied, and I jumped when flames shot out from the holes in the box. He must have a dragon or some other fire breathing creature in there.

Harry tapped my shoulder, pointing to the flying paper planes above our heads; I shrugged, not sure what they were.

"Interdepartmental memos," Mr Weasley explained, sensing our confusion. "Used to use owls… the mess was unbelievable."

I bit my lip to hide my smile.

We all shuffled to make room for the next person to squish their way into the back of the elevator. I looked up as he moved past me, surprised to see that it was Kingsley.

"Merlins beard…" Mr Weasley muttered under his breath after a few short moments of silence. Harry and I kept our eyes forward. "Thank you, Kingsley." Another beat of silence as the metal framed elevator door slid closed. "They've changed the time of your hearing." He said.

Harry reached for my hand again, squeezing tightly. "When is it?" He asked, turning his head slightly.

"In five minutes," he replied as the elevator jerked to a start.

Talk about short notice…

After everyone but Kingsley had gotten off the elevator, it finally reached our stop.

"_Department of Mysteries," _announced the overhead.

We stood in silence for a few moments and I heard Harry inhale deeply; he still held my hand in his and I squeezed it reassuringly before we stepped out into the hallway.

Hearing voices float down to us from another marble hallway, I looked up, seeing Mr Malfoy and Fudge conversing in a hall that we were in the middle of passing. My top lip curled back slightly from my teeth and I struggled to stop the hiss from escaping my mouth.

The two men watched us in silence; Mr Weasley put his hand on Harry's shoulder, encouraging us to move forward. Harry tugged on my hand and I forced my body to relax so that I could move forward. He knew I was worried about the hearing and that I was stressed about pretty much everything else; but I tried not to show it, I should be the least of his concerns right now.

We rounded a few more corners before coming to a stop at a large wooden door. Mr Weasley bent down and spoke hurriedly in Harry's ear.

"Remember; during the hearing speak only when you're spoken to. Keep calm, you've done nothing wrong. As the muggles say; truth will out… yes?" He looked at Harry who nodded rapidly, his hand gripping mine tightly. "I'm not allowed in I'm afraid." Mr Weasley said quietly.

Harry looked up at him, helpless.

"Good luck, Harry." He said, smiling a little.

I heard Harry inhale deeply, and I squeezed his hand. "Come on, Harry." I said softly. "Let's get this over with."

He looked at me, his eyes flicking over my face; he was terrified but did his best not to show it. Nodding slowly, the two of us stepped forward; I looked back over my shoulder at Mr Weasley who dipped his head and motioned for us to go inside.

Opening the door, we walked into the large… well, it was a court room I suppose. There was a straight backed chair in the middle of the room; wooden bleachers surrounded us, seats for the trails witnesses, the Wizengamot. A few of the robed witches and wizards looked up at us as we walked to the centre of the room; Harry sat down, shifting nervously while I stood beside him, my hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, Harry." I whispered, squeezing his tense shoulder. "It'll be fine; I'm right here."

He took a deep breath and tried to relax; it didn't work all that well. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair a few times; doing everything I could to sooth him. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be on trial like this; I would take his place if I could, anything to spare him from this stress that he didn't need.

"Deep breaths," I muttered just as Mr Fudge tapped a small hammer on the desk he sat at.

The chattering voices quieted as he spoke. "Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August into offences committed by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for –"

"Witness for the defence!" A familiar voice cried. I looked over my shoulder at the same time Harry did; identical smiles of relief appeared on our faces and we both relaxed a little as our headmaster entered the judgement circle we were in. "Albus Percival Wulfric… Brain Dumbledore." He walked behind the chair Harry sat in, touching my back as he passed me. Looping around Harry's side, he stepped forward slightly to take the spotlight away from his students.

"You – you got our message that the time and place of the hearing had been changed?" Fudge asked, sounding mildly disappointed about that.

"I must have missed it," Dumbledore replied. "But by a happy mistake, I arrived at the Ministry three hours early." I was so relieved to have him here that my lips twitched, fighting a smile at his witty remark.

The room was silent.

"The charges?" Dumbledore asked, the tone of his voice hinting that he wanted to get on with it.

"The charges against the accused are as followed." He paused, leaning back in his chair. "That he did knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, produce a Patronus charm in the presence of a muggle." Harry tensed again and I squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. Fudge leaned forward to stare Harry down. "Do you deny using said Patronus?"

"No, but –"

Fudge cut him off. "Are you aware that you are forbidden to use magic outside school while under the age of seventeen?"

Harry shifted in his seat. "Yes, I was, but -"

He was interrupted again. "Witches and wizards of the Wizengamot –"

Harry, who was sick of being interrupted, spoke up. "I was only doing it because of the Dementor's!" He said in a rush.

I looked over the group of witnesses as they muttered to each other; my green eyes wide with my edginess.

"Dementor's?" A woman asked. We looked at her, sitting up the back. "In Little Whinging?"

"Yes, that's quite clever." Fudge muttered, hinting that the words weren't to be taken as a compliment. "Muggles can't see Dementor's can they, boy? Highly convenient."

"I'm not lying," Harry shot back, worried. "There were two of them and if I hadn't –"

"Enough," Fudge said quietly, raising a hand to silence him. "I'm sorry to interrupt what would have been a very well rehearsed story, but since you can produce no witnesses of the event," he spat the last word before Dumbledore cut him off.

"Pardon me, Minister?" I looked down at Harry's face, his jaw was tight and his back was straight. He was panicking again; I wanted to reassure him, to tell him that Dumbledore and I would set this right, but I knew that it would be my turn to speak in a moment. Harry looked over at Dumbledore. "But as it happens, we can."

Fudge was silent, waiting.

"As you all know, Miss Dawson is capable of many things that we would have considered impossible a few years ago. One of her gifts enables her to look through the eyes of whichever human or animal she chooses; she is perfectly attuned to a handful of people, Mr Potter being one of them." He paused. "Have you considered the fact that she may have seen the attack?"

Fudge huffed before looking at me. "Amber Isabelle Dawson, did you see the attack?"

I took a deep breath before stepping forward. Dumbledore looked at me from the corner of his eye as I raised my head to look at the Wizengamot; I spoke to all of them, not just one.

"As Dumbledore mentioned, over the years I have become so closely linked to the people that mean the most to me; the ease with which I can enter their heads is unbelievable." I looked over my shoulder at Harry before I soldiered on. "I see a lot of Harry's thoughts, his memories, in his dreams. His subconscious pushes them towards me if it feels as though it is something I should be seeing." I glanced at Dumbledore who nodded encouragingly. "The night of the attack, I saw it happen while I slept; it may not have been during the time of which it happened, for he was too panicked to consider that option, but I saw it nonetheless." Jerking my chin up, I spoke the last of my explanation loud and true. "And I can honestly say that Harry _did _get attacked by Dementor's that night, and only used a Patronus charm in a means of self defence."

Fudge pursed his lips, choosing his words carefully. "You see whatever people decide to show you, is that right?"

I nodded slowly.

He smiled tightly. "Did you ever consider the fact that someone could show you a lie?"

"You'd think that after all these years I'd know the current of someone's thoughts." I shot back, fighting the urge to snarl at him. "With me under the Ministry's protection, I would have thought you knew more about my gifts." I raised an eyebrow in challenge, not caring if I offended him. "Other than seeing thoughts, memories or what a person is seeing at that time…" I trailed off, trying to word it right. "I feel the emotions they feel; if they're lying, I'll feel it." This time, my top lip pulled back slightly, exposing my teeth. My words came out as a growl. "And Harry was _not _lying."

Dumbledore walked over to me, placing a restraining hand on my shoulder as my snarls grew louder, my eyes flickering from green to blue. My frustration over this entire event was starting to show; I wanted this to be done.

"You will do well not to provoke her, Minister." Dumbledore cautioned as I squeezed my eyes shut, calming down. "For a young woman, she is rather dangerous."

Fudge shook his head, still against Harry's defence. "It's not enough, she wasn't there, she didn't _actually _witness it."

A hiss escaped my clenched teeth as my eyes snapped open.

"Well, perhaps if you'd like, you could meet our other witness."

I looked up at Dumbledore in surprise, we actually had a witness? Someone who saw it happen?

Fudge sat back in his seat and Dumbledore gently nudged me towards Harry. "Why don't you two go and sit in the bleachers?" He smiled at me, just a small twitch of his mouth. "Well done," he said softly, knowing I could hear. I turned away from our witnesses, relaxing as I reached out to take Harry's hand and lead him to the seats.

We sat close together, our hands clasped tightly between us as a woman in a blue-grey coat, hat, gloves and carrying a small handbag walked into the room. Dumbledore led her to the chair in the middle of the circle.

"That's Mrs Fig." Harry muttered, looking at the little old woman. "She lives down my street; she showed up just after the Dementor's left."

I raised my eyebrows before turning back to the scene that was beginning to play out in our favour. Harry squeezed my hand, his hope showing, as the interrogation started.

"Please describe the attack," said the woman who had spoken up when Harry first mentioned the Dementor's. She seemed to be leaning towards our side of the debacle; I was thankful for that. "What did they look like?"

"Well," the old woman began, and I found myself feeling rather comforted by her voice. "One was very large and the other rather skinny."

"Not the boys," Fudge corrected, sounding rather agitated. "The Dementor's."

Harry and I shared a tight smile.

"Oh," she mumbled. "Right, right. Well, um… big?" She paused. "Cloaked… then, everything went cold; as though all the happiness had gone from the world."

"Now look here," Fudge said, laughing nervously. He refused to give in, he would always fight against us. "Dementor's don't just wander into a Muggle suburb and happen across a wizard, the odds are astronomical." He smiled rather unconvincingly, his face curling in at strange points; I cringed away.

"I don't think anyone would believe that Dementor's were there by coincidence, Minister." Dumbledore spoke up, walking forward.

"_Hem hem?" _

Dumbledore stopped walking to look over at a small woman with some sort of pink outfit on under her robe. At first glance, she looked a little like a toad…

"I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, Professor." She began in a high voice that immediately began grating on my nerves. "Dementor's are, after all, under the control of the Ministry of Magic. So silly of me, but it sounded, for a moment, as though you were suggesting that the _Ministry _had ordered the attack on this boy."

"That would be disturbing indeed, Madam Undersecretary." Dumbledore replied. "Which is why I'm sure the Ministry will be mounting a full-scale inquiry into why the two Dementor's were so very far from Azkaban, and why they mounted an attack without authorization." He paused, swaying slightly. "Of course, there is someone who might be behind the attack." Mr Fudge leaned forward and Dumbledore continued his walk over. He spoke quietly, but I heard everything with perfect clarity, as he knew I would.

"Cornelius, I implore you to see reason. The evidence that the Dark Lord has returned is incontrovertible."

Mr Fudge shook as he spat the words at our Headmaster. "_He is not back!_"

I hissed and Harry squeezed my hand. The two of us were going back and forth, calming each other in turns.

Dumbledore sighed before he walked away from the collection of witnesses, meeting my gaze; he saw the distress in my eyes and dipped his head. He spoke strongly as he paced.

"In the matter of Harry Potter, the law clearly states that magic may be used before Muggles in life threatening situations." He said.

"Laws can be changed if necessary, Dumbledore." Fudge said angrily, turning red.

"Clearly," Dumbledore shot back. "It's become practiced to hold a full criminal trial to deal with a simple matter of underage magic."

The witnesses, some in black robes and some in red, began chattering amongst themselves. Dumbledore held his hands out, shrugging, indicating that he had nothing more to say on the matter.

"Those in favour of conviction?" That same woman asked, her relaxed face reassuring me. She knew what she was doing; she was on our side.

I watched as Fudge and the Undersecretary raised their hands, a few others joining them.

"Those in favour of clearing the accused of all charges?" She asked, her voice strong.

Almost everyone raised their hand; Harry squeezed mine as my heart thumped wildly, relieved.

Fudge looked around before sighing and tapping the hammer against the table once again. "Cleared of all charges."

Harry's lips twitched, a small smile spreading across his face.

Dumbledore turned and began to walk quickly across the room. "Professor," Harry sighed, standing up to meet him; Dumbledore walked right on past. Confused, Harry turned to look at me.

"Perhaps he has somewhere he needs to be," I soothed him. "I'm sure we'll see him later." I smiled before wrapping my arms around him, feeling him press his face into my hair. "Congratulations." I whispered, squeezing him tightly as I smiled.

* * *

**BWA: Yay, they won!  
Cedric: You knew they would.  
BWA: -Smiles- Yeah I did.  
Ron: Speaking of winning..  
BWA: Oh, yes! Who won Go Fish?  
Emmett: -Grumbles-  
Amber: I did!  
Cedric: -Smiles proudly-  
Emmett: Beginners luck. I've been playing Go Fish a lot longer than you, pip squeak.  
Amber: -Pokes tongue out- You're a sore loser.  
Emmett: Best of three?  
BWA: -Laughs- A quick thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter, you made me smile. I love every single one of you.  
Hermione: Aw.  
Amber: -Smiles- She's such a softy.  
BWA: Shut up.  
Emmett: -Grins-  
BWA: Anyway, make sure you head over to the blog for Teaser Tuesday! That's all we had to say, yes?  
Cedric: I'm pretty sure, yeah.  
BWA: Um.. where's Harry?  
Harry: -In the closet- What?  
BWA: What are you doing in there?  
Harry: Trying to find a board game I can win.  
BWA: -Laughs- Well, reviews are love.  
Emmett: And we love you!  
Harry: -Thud- Ow! Who left the marbles lying around?  
Ron: Oops.  
Everyone: -Laughs- **


	3. Back In Your Arms

**BWA: Welcome back! We're off to Hogwarts, are you all packed?  
Emmett: -Drags a giant suitcase into the room-  
BWA: -Blinks- Do you really need that much stuff?  
Emmett: -Grunts in effort- No. This is Hermione's suitcase.  
Cedric: -Laughs-  
Amber: Emmett, don't lie, it's yours.  
Emmett: Shut up, pipsqueak.  
BWA: Well, the others are still upstairs getting all their stuff together. Harry hid Hermione's wand and she's going crazy trying to find it, so we might be here for a while.  
Amber: I guess I'll have to get him back later.  
Cedric: You gonna steal his glasses?  
Amber: Yeah.  
BWA: -Laughs- Before we let you read, I want to give a few quick shout outs. To Ruby Pen and her sister Britt. Ruby has to put up with her sister's constant asking about my updates. Sorry girls! And of course, to my sister, Liz4, who I tortured with this chapter. She knows why.  
Emmett: We love them, though.  
BWA: We sure do. -Looks at her watch- Hmm.. we're cutting it kind of close.. -Yells- Come on, you three, we need to leave!  
Hermione: Got it!  
-WHACK-  
Emmett: .. Did she just slap them?  
Cedric: Probably.  
Amber: Does that mean I don't have to steal his glasses?  
BWA: -Laughs- Here we go!**

**Disclaimer: Amber's mine, everything else belongs to J.K Rowling. **

_**

* * *

**_

**_Chapter Three  
Back In Your Arms _**

I walked by Harry's side as we made our way to platform 9¾, my stomach flipping with the knowledge that I would see Cedric soon. I didn't bet on finding him in the large crowd that would surely be on the platform; but just knowing that he was nearby was enough for me.

My parents walked a small distance away from us; Moody and Tonks walked together ahead of us, and I'm sure the rest were scattered around. We weren't taking chances with Harry's safety; I wasn't able to check people as we walked, as a Muggle was sure to notice my eyes constantly changing colour.

A soft bark distracted me from my thoughts, and I looked down to see a familiar scruffy dog weaving between Harry and me. His wet nose nudge at my hand and I smiled, running my fingers over his back as he hurried forward, passing Moody to scamper down the stairs we were heading for.

Harry all but sprinted down the stairs after his godfather; Moody and Tonks stayed behind while my parents and I continued onto the platform. The crowds were massive, just as I had expected. Dad took my luggage to the compartment while Bella chirped in her cage by my feet. He returned as Mum took my face in her hands.

"Ready for your fifth year?" She asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I answered, exhaling heavily.

"You've got your OWL's this year," Dad reminded me as Mum dropped her hands from my face. "I'm sure Cedric will help you study."

"Here's hoping," I replied, smiling at the sound of his name.

Mum sighed before pulling me in for a hug, kissing the top of my head. "Write to us if you ever need anything, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered, pressing my face against her shirt. I hated goodbyes. "Don't forget about me."

She laughed, "that's not going to happen." She leaned back and kissed my forehead. "I'll miss you, sweetheart."

"I'll miss you, too." I answered, stepping forward to hug her again. She buried her face in my hair.

Dad pulled me into his arms when Mum let me go; I wrapped my arms around his back, cuddling against his chest. He kissed my temple when I leaned back to look up at him; he put his hands on my shoulders and looked me right in the eye.

"You listen to me, Amber Isabelle Dawson." He smiled as he used my full name. "You take care of yourself this year; watch out for your friends and for Cedric, but take care of yourself, understand?" I nodded and he pulled me close again. "This year isn't going to be easy, but you're strong and I know you can handle it. You have Cedric and he loves you more than anything, he'll watch out for you." He leaned back and kissed my forehead, just as Mum had.

Mr and Mrs Weasley found us not too long after and Mrs Weasley took me in her arms for a few moments before leaning back to look at me. "Every year you become more and more beautiful." She smiled at me before looking at my parents. "She has your eyes, Kyla; but Jason, she has your smile." She stroked my hair before passing me over to Mr Weasley who hugged me and wished me well.

I kissed and hugged my parents again before I said my goodbye's and got on the train.

Bella chirped happily as I let her out of her cage; she nipped playfully at my fingers before flying up above my head, coming to rest on the benches for our luggage. I smiled and turned my head towards the window, watching as the familiar scenery whipped past us.

My heart raced when the world around me became tinted with blue, the angle of the window view changing; this person was on the opposite seat. I heard laughter through his ears; his thoughts were cloudy. He was excited, impatient, happy, nervous and relaxed all at once. My face flickered through his thoughts and love overwhelmed me for a moment, my heartbeat accelerating further as a thought was tacked onto the end. This person knew I was in their head.

_Soon. _

The sight disappeared and the world erupted with different colours once again; I smiled and leaned my head back against the seat, giddy to know how excited Cedric was to see me.

He wasn't alone.

Harry drifted in and out of consciousness during the trip; I switched places with Hermione at one point because Harry was trembling and muttering in his sleep. When I sat down and took his hand, the shuddering stopped and his breathing evened out. For some reason, I was a massive calming influence for Harry; it could be because I was there to protect him and he knew it, or just because he trusted me so much or because we were so tightly bonded after what we went through last year. Horrors that no one other than us could understand. Nonetheless, I was glad to know that I could help my friend, even in small ways.

When the train came to a stop, I glanced over at Harry who had pressed his face against the window, his steady breaths fogging the glass as he exhaled. Hermione smiled at me as she got up and Ron looked at the two of us, asking if Harry was alright.

"He's fine," I answered softly. "You two wait outside, I'll wake him."

Ron smiled at me, reaching out to gently pat the top of my head. "Thanks… you know, for watching him over the holidays." It amazed me how much Ron cared for his best friend, Harry was lucky to have him.

"I was more than happy to help in any way I could, Ron." I answered. "You know that if Dumbledore had asked me to go to Privet Drive and not leave his side, I would have."

He laughed softly to himself, nodding as he shuffled out of the little cabin. "Go on then, wake up the lazy bugger."

I rolled my eyes, waving him away with my free hand before I turned and gently shook Harry's shoulder; he mumbled, shifting slightly. "Harry, come on, buddy. We're at the station, you need to get up."

His eyelids fluttered at the sound of my voice and he mumbled incoherently. "Come on, Harry." I teased in a whiney voice. "Get up." I reached up and flicked his nose, laughing when he shot upright, his eyes wide.

"What was that for?" He asked groggily, rubbing his nose.

I shrugged, "you wouldn't wake up, so I improvised."

He rolled his eyes and stood; Ron had taken Hedwig's cage with him and taken Bella's down from the shelf. My snowy white owl chirped happily when I picked up her cage, gazing up at me with her wide blue eyes.

"Harry," I murmured, smiling softly when he turned to face me. "Are you okay?"

He sighed heavily, "I feel like I'm about to snap at someone." He reached up and rubbed his neck with his free hand. "I'm so on edge."

I nodded sadly, "I know the feeling." I replied as we walked to the door of the train, stepping out into the crisp night air.

"Amber?" He asked softly and I looked at him. "You'll… you'll watch out for me, right?"

I smiled and set down Bella's cage, my bags had already been sent up to school with the rest. I held my arms out wide and Harry stepped forward, wrapping his arms tight around me. I felt the tension in his body, he was severely stressed. He had asked me to watch out for him and I would; he knew that. Harry and the others were not just my best friends, I considered them siblings. But having this bond with Harry and being so tuned to his emotions made me all the more protective of him.

"You know I will," I replied as he stepped away.

Together, we walked over to Ron and Hermione who watched us with concerned gazes. I dipped my head and smiled as reassuringly as I could; we all knew Harry was about to yell at someone. Even though he had just been quiet and worried around me, the tension was showing in the way he held his shoulders and how he held his back so straight.

"I'm surprised the Ministry's still letting you walk around free, Potter." I almost groaned in annoyance at the familiar voice. This was not what Harry needed right now, and if Malfoy wasn't careful, _I _would be the one doing the snapping. I was more dangerous than Harry, a hundred times over. "You'd better enjoy it while you can," Malfoy continued and I noticed that Harry's hands were clenched into fists, even the hand holding the strap of his bag slung over his right shoulder. "I expect there's a cell in Azkaban with your name on it."

Malfoy then made the mistake of leaning in towards Harry who lurched forward, ready to punch him in the face. Ron caught the tops of Harry's arms as I shot forward to stand in front of him; pressing my hands to his chest, I looked over my shoulder at Malfoy, my top lip curled back from my teeth as I snarled violently.

"What did I tell you?" Malfoy muttered to his friends as he walked off. "Complete nutter."

"Just stay away from me!" Harry shouted and I flinched as it echoed loudly in my head.

"Relax," I said quietly, my ears still ringing. "He's not worth it."

"It's only Malfoy," Ron added and I smiled at him over Harry's shoulder. "What do you expect?"

Weakly, Harry shook free of Ron's restricting grip around his arms and slinked past me, shuffling forward with his eyes downcast.

Hermione and Ron looked at me, helpless. I smiled again, "he'll be okay, just give him a moment to cool off."

We walked behind him for a while, catching up when he came to a stop. He was staring straight ahead, and when I followed his gaze, I saw Cho Chang sitting in the back of a carriage with her friends. She smiled and waved a little, and when I looked at Harry, I saw his lips twitch.

"Hi, guys."

I looked up to see Neville Longbottom standing next to Hermione; I stood on her other side, so I leaned forward and waved a little. He was holding a strange looking plant in his arms and I raised an eyebrow at it; Neville shrugged. I realized that the others had mumbled out a greeting, and I shook my head, sighing. I missed my cue.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Harry lift a hand towards his neck, twitching slightly as he turned. I turned with him, watching his face; it went blank for a moment before his eyes widened and he looked up in shock.

Confused, I looked up as he did and froze.

I wasn't entirely sure what I was looking at; it didn't look like a solid object because it kept moving and warping the air around it. Leaning to the side, I looked down towards the carriage, seeing the shimmering air taking shape down the side; it looked… almost like a horse. But it was invisible other than the shimmering and warped air; I furrowed my brow, trying to focus on the shapes and lines in the air, and eventually I was able to make out the thin face of a horse. I was surprised at the clarity of the face once I actually focused on what I was looking at. I just didn't understand how I was seeing such a strange creature. From the look on Harry's face, I was guessing he saw it, too.

"What is it?" He asked, his tone disbelieving.

"I'm… not sure." I replied quietly as the others turned.

"What's what?" Ron asked.

"That," Harry replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Pulling the carriage."

"Nothing's pulling the carriage, Harry." Hermione answered, and she sounded like she was worried about Harry's sanity. "It's pulling itself like always."

"No, there is." I answered, leaning forward. "I can't… I can't see it properly."

Harry walked forward slowly, his head turned towards the creature I couldn't see all that well. I followed him silently, reaching out to touch the warped air; I gasped and pulled my hand back when the warped body twitched and shifted under my fingertips. It felt like there was a solid object there; I just couldn't completely _see _it. I didn't understand.

"You're not going mad," a soft voice said from inside the carriage. I looked up to see a petite girl with almost white blonde hair and stunning ice blue eyes looking at us with a dazed expression. "I can see them, too." I distantly noticed that she was holding her copy of _The Quibbler _upside down. "You're just as sane as I am."

After climbing into the carriage, I sat down beside Harry, Hermione having swapped places with me again. I smiled weakly at her, taking Harry's hand in mine; he squeezed my fingers tightly.

"Everyone, this is Loony –" she stopped, catching the words in her throat and looking at us with a startled expression before she corrected herself softly. "Luna Lovegood."

My head tipped to the side as I watched the girl; she stared back at me with eyes that looked so similar to my own when I gave over to my gifts, but hers were a lighter shade of blue.

"What an interesting necklace." I heard Hermione mutter, but I didn't take my eyes away from Luna's face.

"It's a charm, actually." Luna replied happily in her high, soft voice. Still fiddling with the charm, she leaned forward and looked at us intently. "Keeps away the nargles." We were silent until she spoke again. "Hungry… I hope there's pudding."

As the carriage began to move, I leaned back and closed my eyes for a moment, looking through a different pair when they opened.

As I had expected, Harry was thinking about the strange creature we had encountered only minutes earlier. But, to my shock, he saw the creature in its entirety, as an actual solid. I watched in awe; the animal… well, the horse-like animal was a deep brown in colour, slim and hollow looking. Instead of being spooked by them, I was curious. They didn't make me nervous, at all.

Letting go of his sight, I sighed in confusion, squeezing his hand. Looking up, I met Luna's gaze; she smiled at me before looking towards the road. Taking the chance, I closed my eyes again, focusing on Luna; I had never looked through her eyes before, so it took a few seconds for me to get a decent grasp on her as an entity.

I felt the tiny little twinge in my head when everything clicked into place, and when I opened my eyes, I saw the horse-like animal trotting lazily down the path. Luna was thinking about them, and I listened intently.

No one tried to get my attention, having seen that I was focusing on something. I was able to hear what was happening around me a bit better when I was looking through someone else's eyes, but I had to focus. But I was getting better.

Luna thought about the animals – which were called Thestrals – almost all the way to school. I was surprised at that, because she seemed like someone that would be rather scatterbrained, but she was an intelligent girl underneath it all. I learned that Thestrals were only able to be seen by those who had seen death. I didn't understand how that could relate to me until I thought of Mr Crouch last year. I hadn't actually _been _there when it happened, but I had witnessed it one way or another. Perhaps, because I still saw it, even though not at the moment it happened, I was half way to seeing them properly. I had witnessed enough to give me this strange, warped sight.

Thinking about it made my head hurt.

* * *

By the time we reached the school grounds, I was fidgeting and shifting in my seat every few seconds. Everyone knew I was eager to find Cedric, and they all laughed when I got out of the carriage the moment it stopped. Bella chirped happily as Ron handed her cage down to me; smiling excitedly, I walked inside with the others, my eyes shooting around the rooms we passed, searching.

We stopped at one point to change into our robes; Hermione laughed as I changed clothes in a rush. I poked my tongue out at her.

Finding the luggage left by other students, I placed Bella's cage down next to my other suitcases and bags. She flapped her wings, watching as I jogged up the remaining stairs and through the doors into the Great Hall.

It was not yet time to sit down for dinner; people were standing, grouped together all over the place. Hugs were exchanged and nervous glances were tossed about by the new first years. I held my breath as I looked towards the Huffelpuff table.

And there he was.

My heartbeat accelerated as I met Cedric's eyes from across the room. He was standing with his friends, looking at me over their heads. As we stood there, the others turned, smiling when they saw me in the doorway. Smiling softly, Cedric stepped away from his friends and into the open hallway between the tables.

Not willing to waste another minute, I broke into a sprint, running as fast as my legs could take me down the hall. He caught me when I flung myself at him; I wrapped my arms and legs around him, giggling against his neck as he held me close.

Sighing happily, Cedric set me down on the ground, tilting my head up with a finger under my chin. He smiled his lop-sided smile when he met my eyes; I was silent as I gazed back into his. This moment was entirely ours; reaching up, he cupped my cheek in his hand and I turned my face into his palm, pressing my lips to the skin there.

I was home.

He held my gaze as he leaned towards me, his head tilting to the side when our lips were a breath away from meeting. I smiled before reaching up to wind my arms around his neck and pulling his lips to mine.

I couldn't help but groan softly against his lips as they moved over mine in gentle caresses. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his body; distantly, I realized that we were in a room full of people, but I was too happy to care right now.

Unwinding one of my arms from around his neck, I moved it up to press my fingers to his jaw. He smiled into the kiss, capturing my bottom lip between his teeth and sucking lightly. Eventually pulling away, Cedric kissed me again, so softly that my heart fluttered, before leaning back to look at me.

"Hello, my beautiful girl." He reached up and ran one of his hands through my hair while the other remained tight around my hips. "I have no words to describe how much I missed you."

I smiled brightly at him before I leaned forward and buried my face in his chest. He smelled like soap, peppermint and sugar. His scent always changed in small ways, but there was that one constant… it was just… him.

I shivered lightly when I felt his lips brush against my ear, his nose pressing against my hair. "I love you," he whispered, kissing the curve of my ear as he pulled me closer.

"I love you," I breathed, kissing his chest through his clothes. He chuckled softly, cradling me in his arms.

We spent a few more moments together, just holding each other and speaking in hushed tones; when we were told to move to our seats, the two of us shared another kiss before parting to join our friends.

Fred and George were smirking at me when I sat down.

"Shut up," I hissed.

Harry looked at me as I settled in beside him; I had noticed that there was a gap between him and the next person… a rather large gap. Seamus Finnegan would look over every few minutes. Well, more glaring half the time.

"Not worth it, Harry." I soothed him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't lose your temper."

We ate in between conversations; Harry only spoke up once or twice, other than that he was silent. Whenever I glanced over at Cedric's table, he was watching me with a smile on his face. The way we were sitting had us facing each other, which made it so much easier to catch his eye from across the room.

It was a very welcome distraction.

"Good evening, children."

I looked towards the front of the room to see Dumbledore standing at his little podium. The room quickly fell silent as we waited to hear what the headmaster had to say next. "Now, we have two changes in staffing this year. We're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave." I felt my brows furrow in confusion; Hagrid was away? Where could he possibly have gone? "We also wish to welcome our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Delores Umbridge; and I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the Professor good luck."

We remained silent, but I saw Harry straighten up beside me, his jaw tight.

"As always, our caretaker Mr Filch has asked me to remind you that –"

"_Hem hem."_

Recognising the high pitched interruption, I went rigid in my seat. What on earth was that woman doing here at Hogwarts, and teaching Defence against the Dark Arts?

"She was at my hearing," Harry said in a low voice as the woman dressed completely in pink wandered towards the front of the stage. "She works for Fudge."

I felt my fingers curl against the table, my nails scratching against the wood as I clenched my teeth together. Ever since Harry's hearing, the Ministry and I did not get along. I never liked Umbridge from the start, so she was going to have to get used to me being a little hostile in her lessons.

Looking away from the stage as she took her last few steps before stopping, I met Cedric's gaze. He was staring straight at me, his face a mask of concern. His eyebrows were slightly raised; his eyes wide in shock and his lips parted a little. I didn't make any gestures or mouth anything to him, I just held his gaze. He relaxed a little as we watched each other, and I felt my fingers stretch out from the tight fists I had balled them into; my top lip relaxed and my breathing regulated. When Umbridge began to speak, I flinched but did not look away from Cedric's face.

"Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome; and how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me." Cedric rolled his eyes as I tried to avoid digging my fingers into the wood of the table. "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."

"That's likely," I heard Fred and George mutter together.

I shifted slightly in my seat, rolling my shoulders to try and relieve some tension. Cedric shifted as well; we were both eager to be touching again.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance." She paused for a moment and Cedric tipped his head slightly, watching my face. "Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school…" There was a brief pause, but my eyes did not leave Cedric's. "Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be… _prohibited._" The way she said the last word made me sit up straight and hiss through my suddenly clenched teeth.

I leaned back in my seat and Cedric made a move to stand but Ernie put his hand on Cedric's shoulder, shaking his head and glancing over at me as I worked to relax. Umbridge had only just begun her time here, but I already hated her; she did not belong here… There was no doubt that we would not get along.

Distantly, I realized that the rest of the students were softly applauding Professor Umbridge. Cedric's brows furrowed before he sighed and looked away, giving a piece of his attention to his friends who were obviously trying to talk to him.

"Thank you, Professor Umbridge. That really was most illuminating." Dumbledore commented.

"Illuminating?" Ron muttered, and I took a deep breath, trying to relax as I turned to my friends. "What a load of waffle."

"What's it mean?" Harry asked, leaning forward.

Hermione looked at Harry and then at me, her eyes widening in surprise at my frustrated expression. She turned away and spoke in a quiet, shaky voice. "It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts."

As soon as dinner was over, Harry and the others followed the flow of students out into the corridors. Cedric crossed the room, pulling me into his arms when he was close enough. He buried his face in my hair as I nuzzled against his neck, my breathing beginning to even out.

"Are you okay?" He asked, making no effort to move.

"No," I answered in a tight voice.

He sighed, rocking me gently back and forth. "I hate that you have to endure this so soon."

I tried to relax in his arms, but my edginess wouldn't go away. "Harry is on edge."

"And you aren't?" He asked, leaning back to look at me. "Amber, you need to relax. You're going to stress yourself out and it's only the first night back."

I sighed and he took my face in his hands, bending down and pressing his forehead to mine. "This is just too much all at once." I said quietly. "I don't know how to cope… I mean, first the hearing, and then Harry being so frustrated and now Professor Umbridge… Like I need a reminder that the Ministry is out to get us."

"Hey, hey…" I squeezed my eyes shut. "Look at me, sweetheart." I cracked one eye open. "And the other one." He smiled when I opened both; he opened his mouth to speak before looking towards the stage. I followed his gaze and bit back a snarl. Professor Umbridge was watching us with a curious expression, almost as though she was studying the way we interacted. There was still a small crowd gathered in the hall, but it was quickly decreasing. Glancing over at Dumbledore, I was surprised to find him watching us. He looked almost… concerned. "We should probably get out of here, you might be able to relax being away from all this."

Taking my hand in his, Cedric led me from the room; I was relieved to find that I could breathe properly now, a pressing weight had been lifted from my shoulders, if only for a little while. We both knew that this wouldn't be an easy year for me, and I was to cherish these moments where I got to relax.

We walked up the changing staircases in silence, hands clasped tightly between us. I eyed the Gryffindor common room door warily when we stopped in front of it. Cedric turned me towards him and took my face in his hands; I stretched up on my toes as he bent down, meeting him halfway.

Our lips touched and I melted in his arms; I could hear the beginnings of an argument inside but I refused to let it bother me. Cedric's lips were warm and soft against mine, but I could feel the tension in his kiss, the tight set of his jaw. When we parted, I pressed my forehead to his.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly, stroking his cheeks with my thumbs.

"I'm just worried about you." He muttered, bumping his nose against mine. "You don't deserve all this stress." He bent down and kissed me again. "I love you, Amber."

I felt my body relax at his words. "I love you, too."

When Harry's tense voice reached my ears, I sighed and dropped my head onto Cedric's shoulder. He rubbed my back, trying to relieve it of the tension that had built up over the last few hours.

"You should probably go and see what's happening in there." He muttered; leaning back, he kissed my forehead and tipped his head towards the door. "I'll see you at breakfast." He leaned in and kissed me once more. "Try and get a decent night sleep, and please, please try to relax."

I nodded, hugging myself to him for a moment before muttering the password and watching as the door opened. The voices from inside got louder and I flinched when I heard Seamus talking about the night that Harry, Cedric and I were attacked. He was using the fact that no one had seen the cause of my painful reaction; therefore, what Harry had said was a lie.

Helpless, I looked at Cedric who smiled slightly, motioning for me to go inside. He reached out and squeezed my fingers before turning to walk down the stairs. The further away he got, the more my tension returned. Stepping into the common room, I met Harry's eyes over Seamus' shoulder.

"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar!" Harry shot back at Seamus after breaking away from my gaze. I realized that Seamus was giving Harry a hard time over what the _Daily Prophet _said about him; and in an instant, I was pissed off again.

"What's going on?" Ron asked as he passed me, walking over to Harry.

"He's mad is what's going on," Seamus said. "Do you believe the rubbish he's come out with about You-Know-Who?"

"Yeah, I do." Ron replied calmly, standing by Harry's side. "Has anyone else got a problem with Harry?" He asked, looking around the room. When no one answered, the two jogged up the stairs.

"Git," I heard Seamus mutter under his breath.

I'd had enough.

Frustrated, I walked over to Seamus and pushed on his shoulder, glaring at him when he turned to look at me. I leaned in close, meeting his wide eyes with my angry blue ones. "Back off," I snarled. "Harry doesn't need this right now and because it's my job to look out for him, I don't either." He leaned back a little, surprised. "So why don't you give the two of us a rest and keep your opinions to yourself." My top lip curled back and my next words came out wrapped around a feral snarl. "You do _not _want to piss me off any more than what I already am."

The room remained silent as I passed Seamus and walked up the stairs. Entering the girls' dormitory, I slammed the door behind me. Bella squeaked in surprise and I wandered over to her, stroking her cheek in apology. I changed in silence, trying to even out my breathing. I needed Cedric here; he was the only person who could calm me down right now. We were more in tune than I was with Harry, and my body responded to his presence without any instruction from me. If he was around, I was relaxed, happy, and in love.

Wandering to my bed, I turned to the wall and pressed my forehead against it, whimpering in frustration.

This year was not off to a good start.

* * *

**Emmett: Someone's angry.  
Amber: -Grumbles-  
BWA: She's just a little stressed and moody.  
Cedric: Aw. -Cuddles Amber-  
Amber: -Smiles a little-  
Harry: -Whines- Everyone's picking on me..  
Ron: Want some chocolate?  
Harry: Yes, please.  
Hermione: Boys are more moody than girls, I think.  
Emmett: I have the answer as to why Amber is so all over the place.  
BWA: Oh? And what's that?  
Emmett: I think she's on her period.  
Everyone: -Stares-  
Emmett: What?  
Cedric: That's really gross.  
Amber: -Tries not to laugh-  
BWA: Okay, before things get any worse, we should get going. I'm heading interstate for my eldest brothers wedding this Thursday and won't be back until next Monday, so you'll have to wait a little longer for the next chapter.  
Emmett: -Whines-  
BWA: Aw.. -Cuddles- As always, reviews are love, dear readers.  
Cedric: So leave us some love? -Puppy dog eyes-  
Amber: Naww!  
BWA: Don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Harry: Anyone else want some chocolate?  
Emmett: -Looks at Amber-  
Amber: I'm not on my period!  
BWA: -Laughs- **


	4. The Way We Are

**BWA: Look who's back!  
Emmett: You are!  
Harry: So are you!  
BWA: -Grins- Yeah, we're all back. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update, the house got painted while we were up at the wedding so my computer had been unplugged and all that. It took a little while to move everything back into my room so that I could grab the files I needed. -Facepalm-  
Amber: How was the wedding?  
BWA: Oh man, it was stunning. I cried so much.  
Emmett: Pansy.  
BWA: -Pokes tongue out- I also had sore feet from all the dancing I did.  
Cedric: -Laughs- You little party animal.  
BWA: -Smiles- Anyway, this chapter is what I know a few of you have been looking forward to. The first bit of conflict between Amber and Umbridge.  
Fred and George: Dun dun dun!  
BWA: Yeah, it's a little bit like that, isn't it? But, there's a lot of cute Cedric and Amber moments in this chapter to make up for the huge gap between updates. Sorry about that!  
Emmett: Without further ado, read on!**

**Disclaimer: No, it's not mine. Shut up already.**

* * *

_**Chapter Four  
The Way We Are  
**_

Twirling my quill between my fingers, I tried to block out the happy, chattering voices around me and concentrate on relaxing. It wasn't as easy as I had hoped.

My sleep pattern was all over the place; from our first day back, Harry had been having nightmares. The thing that confused me was that it was always the same dream; a long dark corridor, a low view point and Voldemort's face. Every time he had that dream, I woke up shuddering and covered in sweat, my eye colour fading from blue back to green. The one part I hated was that I always woke up with burning skin, due to my low tolerance for Dark Magic.

Cedric was a bit beyond worried; as soon as breakfast was over, he would find me and wrap me in his arms. Nothing calmed me down like he did; but the moment he was out of my sight, my tension, fear and frustration would always return, as well as the ache to be touching him again.

We were all currently in our first Defence against the Dark Arts class, waiting for Professor Umbridge. People started laughing as a paper bird fluttered around the classroom; I watched it fly past, smiling faintly at the reminder of the Phoenix that had given me my powers.

As it continued to swoop around the room, I thought back to the day when I had learned about my powers. Lupin had been the one to tell me; the Silver Phoenix only ever gave one feather, a feather with both blue and green on it. A feather that resided in my wand; I had been chosen by the Phoenix to inherit its powers long before I was aware. That legendary creature was the reason I had these sharpened senses and extra abilities.

Without warning, the small paper bird burst into flame for half a second before falling slowly onto a nearby desk. I couldn't help but flinch as I leaned back in my chair, exhaling heavily.

"Good morning, children."

I didn't turn at the sound of her voice like everyone else; Umbridge was proving to be a bit of a pain. On the odd occasion that I passed her in the hall, she would watch me in that strange way, as if I were something to be studied. It made me uncomfortable.

Hearing Umbridge begin to walk towards the front of the classroom, I steadied myself and hoped that I wouldn't lose my temper at all, since I happened to be having trouble with that lately.

"Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations," she said in that gratingly high voice I hated. The words appeared on the blackboard as she said them. "O-W-L's; more commonly known as OWL's." She came to a stop at the front of the room and faced us with a smile. "Study hard and you will be rewarded, fail to do so and the consequences may be… severe."

I sat up a little straighter in my seat, wary.

Nonetheless, through my cautiousness I couldn't help but wonder; did she have to wear pink all the time?

Still smiling, Umbridge flicked her wand over her shoulder and the stacks of textbooks she had on her desk began to float down the hall, dropping books onto each desk as they passed.

She spoke as the books were handed out. "Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven; but you will be pleased to know that from now on you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry approved course of defensive magic."

I looked down at the book that had been set down in front of me moments earlier. I raised my eyebrows at the title.

_Dark Arts Defence: Basics for Beginners._

Beginners? Since when are fifth year students beginners?

"Yes?"

I looked to my left, watching as Hermione lowered her raised arm before she spoke. "There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?" She asked, confused.

"Using spells?" Umbridge repeated in disbelief. She laughed once and I almost cringed at the sound. "I can't imagine why you would _need _to use spells in my classroom," she explained, walking down the aisle to stand in front of our desk.

"We're not gonna use magic?" Ron asked.

"You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk free way." She answered.

"Well, what use is that?" Harry asked. "If we're going to be attacked it won't be _risk free._"

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class." Umbridge answered in a stern tone, walking away from us. My top lip pulled back a little; of course she would be snarky with Harry. When she turned, her face was a mask of calm once again. "It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which after all, is what school is all about."

I shifted in my seat; I wanted to say something, but I didn't want to have to speak to the woman.

"And how is theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" Harry asked, his tone strong.

_Don't lose your temper, Harry._

"There is nothing out there, dear." Umbridge answered, trying to soothe him and protect the rest of the class from the truth they needed to know. "Who do you imagine would want to attack children like yourself?"

_Don't let her provoke you…_

I wasn't sure who I was thinking of anymore…

"Oh, I don't know; maybe… Lord Voldemort?" Harry shot back.

My back went straight and my fingers curled into fists as I thought of the dark wizard who had tried to kill both Cedric and Harry last year. Hermione noticed my rigid posture and met my eyes, willing me to calm down. I was so close to snapping again.

A pencil dropped onto the floor, and since the other students were either muttering to themselves or completely silent, we all heard it.

"Now let me make this quite plain," I looked back at Professor Umbridge; she was walking very slowly down the corridor between my desk and Harry's. "You have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large once again." A low rumble began in my chest as she passed us. "This. Is. A. _Lie._"

"It's not a lie," Harry spoke up, trying to get his point across. "I saw him, I _fought _him!"

"Detention, Mr Potter." Umbridge said loudly, walking swiftly back to her place at the front of the room.

"So, according to you Amber Dawson came back from the maze bloody and screaming because she felt like it." He replied and I flinched, remembering the horrid burn.

Umbridge turned to face us, her eyes flicking to me for half a second. "Amber Dawson's injuries were nothing but a large misunderstanding."

What?

"Amber almost got herself killed saving Cedric!" Harry shouted. "You have no idea how much pain –"

"_Enough!_"

The fact that Umbridge was yelling at Harry as well as lying about my injuries and intentions that night in the graveyard finally pushed me over the edge. Beyond furious, I shot up out of my chair, knocking it over behind me; all the eyes in the room shot to my face as I slammed my hands down on the table and bent forward, my lips pulled back over my teeth and my eyes shimmered into a bright, burning blue. A loud, enraged snarl burst past my lips as I glared at her.

"Enough," she repeated quietly, casting a glance in my direction. "Calm yourself, Miss Dawson."

"_No_."

"Excuse me?"

"I said _no._" I hissed through clenched teeth.

Her chin jerked up and she gestured to the door, "then I would like you to leave."

"Fine," I answered, pushing away from the desk and walking quickly towards the door. As I left, I heard Umbridge tell Harry to go to her office later in the day. I realized that I left my things in the classroom; it didn't matter, Hermione would bring them back to the common room.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I broke into a sprint when I reached the bottom. I ran down the connecting corridors, not sure where I was headed. I was overwhelmed… I needed Cedric.

I didn't realize that's where my feet had carried me until I heard his voice.

"Amber!" He called from behind me and I immediately began to slow. "Amber, stop!"

Footsteps echoed down the corridor, getting louder as he caught up with me; when I felt him grab my arm, I stopped and let him turn me around. He took one look at my face before pulling me to him; I fisted his shirt in my hands and pressed my face against his chest, shaking violently.

"It's not a lie!" I screamed, feeling hot tears spill down my cheeks. "How could she say it's a lie?"

Cedric gently rubbed my back while he stroked my hair with his free hand. "What's wrong?" He asked, his voice tight with concern. "What happened?"

I shook my head against his chest, whimpering.

"Sweetheart, please?" When I didn't reply, he bent slightly at the knees and picked me up in his arms. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, burying my face in his neck as he carried me down the corridor. I squeezed my eyes shut, trembling in his arms as my tears continued to fall. Eventually, he came to a stop and sat down; I made no motion to see where we were. Cedric shifted me so that I was straddling his hips, wrapping his arms tight around my back and resting his forehead on my shoulder. We sat there and embraced each other for a long while; eventually, my trembling stopped and my breathing began to even out, but the tears never stopped falling.

"Amber," Cedric mumbled, lifting his head from my shoulder. "Please, talk to me."

I sniffed and leaned back, looking away from his face. I realized that we were under our tree; we had escaped here many times during the Triwizard Tournament. I took a steadying breath and met his eyes, tears still trickling down my cheeks.

Cedric's face twisted in agony as he took in my expression. He reached up and wiped away my tears as they fell; leaning forward, he kissed the tip of my nose and rested his forehead against mine, trying to sooth me. "What happened?"

"She said it was all a lie," I whispered, my body jerking as I sobbed again. "That everything we went through was a lie." I didn't have to say her name, he knew. I met his eyes, craning my neck so that our noses bumped together. "I almost lost you, and she said it was a lie."

Cedric exhaled shakily, cradling my face in his hands. I needed reassurance and he knew it; tilting his head slightly, he pressed his lips firmly to mine. I slumped against him, plunging my fingers into his hair as my lips parted under his. He inhaled through his nose and slipped his tongue past my lips, feeling me shudder against him.

Our tongues touched and I whimpered into his mouth, my tears landing on his arms as we kissed. My thighs squeezed tight against his hips as I pressed myself closer, feeling the soft strands of his hair slipping between my fingers. His jaw tightened as he wrapped an arm around me and hoisted me up, tilting his head back as I leaned over him. He ran his tongue gently over my teeth before touching my tongue again; when we had to part for air, we moved ever so slightly, our lips still brushing together as we gasped.

"It's not a lie, do you understand?" He whispered fiercely, moving to bury his face against my neck. "You saved my life. I'm here because of you; it's not a lie." I trembled as he kissed my neck.

"It's not even the end of the first week and I'm already crumbling," I hiccupped, wrapping my arms tight around him, one around his neck and the other around his shoulders. "This isn't like last year; I can't be strong for my friends. There's just too much going on, and it's only going to get worse."

"I know," he said, touching his lips to my skin again. "You know I would do anything to make this better, Amber. But you have no idea how strong you are; look at everything you did last year. I for one refuse to sit back and let them treat you like this; there's going to be a rebellion this year. I can feel it."

I buried my face in his windblown hair, only concentrating on the sound of his voice, not what he said. "I can't believe I almost lost you…" I whispered as memories of that night flickered through my thoughts. "I came so close to losing you."

"Hey," he leaned back and kissed me softly. "Enough of that." I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead to his, sighing. He brushed away the last of my tears and shifted me when I relaxed against him. My head fell to his shoulder and I pressed the curve of my nose against his neck. "You didn't lose me, I'm right here in your arms." I hugged myself closer. "I'm here and I love you. I will always love you, no one but you. Understand?

"Yes," I whispered. "I love you. It's always been you."

We didn't move from that spot for the rest of the day; the whole time he held me against his chest, rocking me soothingly. As the sun began to set, I drifted off to sleep in his arms.

* * *

**CPOV**

I sighed in relief when Amber went limp in my arms, her shaky breaths evening out as she relaxed enough to fall asleep. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around me, her warm breath fanning out over my neck with each exhale. The sun was setting over the mountains, painting the sky a bright orange, the clouds turning pink and purple; it was beautiful and I knew that Amber would have loved to watch it.

Shifting slightly, the petite girl in my arms whimpered my name and pressed herself closer, her hands grabbing at my shirt.

"Shh," I soothed. "I'm here, sweetheart. I'm here."

She sighed softly at the sound of my voice, relaxing again. I smiled at her and shifted her in my arms so that I was cradling her against my chest. Her lips twitched as she turned her face towards my chest, snuggling against my shirt.

I bent down and pressed my lips against her hair; I felt terrible for everything she had gone through today. It just never ended for her, and I think that after her argument with Professor Umbridge, she had finally snapped.

My heart ached and my stomach twisted as I thought of Amber's tear-streaked face. I had heard footsteps rushing down the corridor, but what shocked me were the high whimpers and choking sobs echoing off the walls; I knew that voice anywhere. Excusing myself from my class, I had stepped out into the corridor just as Amber raced past me. The moment I caught up with her, I pulled her to me and she crumbled against my chest.

During the Tournament last year, Amber had handled herself amazingly well. I still remembered that one day where she let her fears show; she had stepped out into the rain to hide her tears from me, but I knew.

But this… this was so much more than that.

This wasn't a school competition; the people she cared about were in danger, and no one believed her or Harry when they tried to explain. Amber was everything to me, and to see her get so upset… it broke my heart.

I owed Amber everything and more for saving my life during the Third Task. If she hadn't have been there, I would have been killed; one thing I thought about on occasion was what would have happened to Amber if I had been killed that night?

Squeezing my eyes shut, I did my best to will away the images that popped into my head. During the holidays, I had started having nightmares of that night in the graveyard. Always the same one and each time it terrified me more than the last.

Amber writhing on the ground, screaming as Voldemort tortured her without even casting a spell. Seeing her get struck by the killing curse, the sound of her body smacking against the ground, her lifeless eyes. I needed to be reassured just as often as she did at times like these.

I loved Amber more than words could possibly express; she and I were two halves of a whole. Now that I had this beautiful young woman in my life, I couldn't understand how I had gone through all those years without her.

Amber shivered in my arms, and I noticed that goose bumps had appeared on her skin. Looking up at the sky, I was surprised to see that it was almost dark. A slight breeze had picked up, it wasn't unpleasant, but I could understand the goose bumps. I couldn't let Amber sleep in my arms all night, as much as I wanted her to. She needed to rest in her bed.

Slowly and very carefully, I got up off the ground with Amber still cradled in my arms. Her brows furrowed slightly when she was jostled, but she never woke. I wrapped my arms a little tighter around her and began the walk to her common room.

I passed a few teachers and students on my way; some smiled knowingly while others watched on in confusion. I gave them all reassuring smiles as I continued walking.

Amber breathed my name as I walked up the first flight of changing stairs, and I looked down at her face. She was smiling slightly, her breathtaking features relaxed; I was very relieved to find no tension in her expression at all. She was entirely at ease.

Reaching the fat lady's portrait, I hesitated. I knew Amber had to rest properly, but I didn't want to let her go. What if she woke during the night and started to stress again? I shook my head; Amber always bounced back from these things. Now that she had voiced her concerns, she would find her strengths and rebel, and I would be there by her side.

A pang of sadness bloomed in my chest when I thought of what this year would bring. I was in my final year while Amber was in her fifth. She still had two years to go, two years where I wouldn't be able to see her every day. I wasn't all that sure of what I was going to do, and I didn't want to think about it until I absolutely had to.

"Are you alright, Cedric?"

I turned to see Hermione standing next to me; she had a few books in her hands, so I could only guess that she had been at the library. Her eyes shot down to Amber and back to mine, wider than before.

"It's alright," I assured her quickly. "She's just sleeping."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully, "you should have seen her in Defence against the Dark Arts. She was furious."

"She's had a rough few days." I replied, looking down at her face again. "She needs a good night sleep."

Smiling slightly, Hermione turned to the fat lady and spoke the Gryffindor password; I tried my best not to hear. She stepped over the threshold and looked back at me. "Do you want to bring her upstairs?"

I nodded and stepped into the Gryffindor tower; entering the common room, I met the eyes of some of my friends. Harry and Ron sitting over on the couch by the fire; I noticed that Harry was favouring his left hand. Fred and George were playing cards but they stopped when they saw Amber cradled in my arms.

"Is she okay?" Fred asked.

"Just sleeping," I said, feeling her shift in my arms. "I'm going to take her upstairs then head off."

I looked over at Harry again who was watching Amber with a concerned expression on his face. It was easy to see that he was worried about her after what had happened earlier in the day. I smiled when he met my eyes, dipping my head to let him know that everything was fine.

Hermione showed me to the girls' dorm, looking up at me when we reached the door. "Do you want me to take her inside? I can get her ready for bed."

I shook my head, "that's okay. I can do it."

She smiled and opened the door, ushering me inside. "You know what's hers." She hesitated before speaking again. "Thank you. She really needed you today."

I shrugged, "I love her, it's what I'm meant to do."

Slipping past her, I walked into the girls' dorm and spotted Bella resting on the back of a chair near Amber's bed. The snowy while owl hooted excitedly as I set Amber down on the bed, gazing down at the girl with a great deal of affection in her bright eyes.

"Hey, Bella." I crooned, stroking the birds feathered cheek with my fingers.

When I found Amber's clothes, I rummaged through the shirts that she had, unable to keep from smiling when I pulled out one of mine. Turning back to her, I took a moment to admire her face in the now rising moonlight; she was so beautiful.

Bella hooted again, bringing back into the moment. She was close enough to reach out and grab the hem of the shirt in her beak; she tugged and stared up at me, telling me to get on with it.

I laughed quietly and set the shirt down on her bed; carefully gathering her in my arms, I pushed the robe from her shoulders and took a steady breath before I grabbed the hem of her shirt in my hands. Thankfully, Amber was conscious enough to stay upright when I let go of her to pull the shirt over her head. Swallowing heavily, I tried not to gaze at the smooth skin of her stomach and barely covered chest. She didn't need her eighteen year old boyfriend ogling her right now.

Laying her back down on the bed, I tugged her shoes and socks off before searching for the zip on her skirt and pulling it down. Slowly, so as not to wake her, I slid the skirt down her legs; it should be a crime, being so beautiful. I kept my eyes averted from certain places, but allowed myself to gaze at her legs as I pulled down her stockings. Bringing her back up into a sitting position, I grabbed my shirt and slipped it over her head, bringing her long hair out from under the neckline. She had such beautiful hair, I loved seeing how much it had grown each time I saw her during the holidays. It came close to her belly button now and I absolutely adored it.

After folding her clothes and setting them on the desk by her bed, I pulled the covers up her body, tucking the blanket in under her arms. She rolled onto her side and whispered my name again, blindly reaching for me. I took her hands in mine and bent down to kiss her cheek.

"I'll see you in the morning," I whispered.

Still sleeping, she turned her head so that her lips brushed against mine, and I couldn't help kissing her gently. "I love you," I breathed against her cheek when I pulled away.

Bella stretched her wings out as I passed her, and I stroked her feathery cheek again. "Watch out for her tonight, okay?" The elegant bird blinked at me, her head tipping to the side. I knew she understood.

Just before I left the room, I gazed at Amber once more; I smiled at her and as I stepped out of the room, I heard her soft voice murmur my name again, but this time she continued.

"I love you."

Smiling softly, I whispered my love back to her and left for my common room, letting the most important person in my life get some well deserved rest.

* * *

**Hermione: Aww!  
Amber: -Snores-  
Emmett: .. Dude, she's sleeping. Can I draw on her?  
Cedric: -Rolls eyes-  
Emmett: That was a yes!  
BWA: -Giggles- How was that? I added a little CPOV in there, so woo hoo!  
Cedric: Now everyone knows that I was checking out my girlfriend while she slept..  
Harry: That's because you're a perv.  
Cedric: At least I have a girlfriend. -Smirks-  
Emmett: Oooh, BURN!  
BWA: Oh dear.  
Emmett: -Goes to draw on Amber- Did anyone realize that if permanent marker were permanent, we'd all be screwed?  
BWA: Emmett, I think you're the only one that thinks about that.  
Emmett: And I'm proud of it, baby!  
BWA: -Smiles- Well, what do you think? Like it? Hate Umbridge? Love Cedric? Let me know!  
Amber: -Twitches-  
Harry: Reviews are love!  
Emmett: And we love you!  
Cedric: So leave us some love.  
BWA: Don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday which will be starting back up this week!  
Emmett: Should I draw the Dark Mark on her arm?  
BWA: Okay, that's it, give me the marker!  
Emmett: Never! -Runs off-  
BWA: -Chases-  
Cedric: -Laughs- **


	5. Starting Today

**Harry: -Hides under the table-  
BWA: What's up with him?  
Emmett: -Shrugs- Who knows? He's traumatized.  
Cedric: That's partially your fault.  
Emmett: I don't see how.  
Amber: Oh, really? -Pulls out a list- It all started when...  
Emmett: Okay, okay!  
Amber: -Laughs-  
BWA: Anyway, welcome back, everyone! You're all looking fabulous.  
Ron: Why, thank you.  
Cedric: -Rolls eyes-  
BWA: Okay, this is going to drive me insane. Harry, what on earth are you doing under there?  
Harry: Hiding.  
Hermione: Why?  
Harry: .. I think Voldemort is stalking me.  
Voldemort: -Peeks in through the window- I'm not stalking you! Oh, by the way, you're out of milk.  
Harry: -Whines-  
**

**Disclaimer: No, it's not mine. I'm getting rather depressed, admitting this all the time. -Mopes- **

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter Five  
Starting Today

**APOV**

Although things hadn't improved since that day in Defence against the Dark Arts, I found that I was able to deal with everything a lot better.

Cedric would walk me to my classes each day and was with me almost all the time on the weekends. Harry still had nightmares and I still woke up during each one, but I was able to relax and fall asleep whereas earlier I would have been up for the rest of the night.

I still struggled being around Umbridge, and so did Harry; she had sent him to detention three times after that first week and it was taking its toll on him. The thing that confused me was that he always favoured his left hand; eventually, I got him to tell me why.

"What is she doing to you?" I asked as I examined the scar on his hand.

_I must not tell lies._

"She's got these quills that use your blood for ink and leave you with a scar." He explained; I was the only person he told these things to.

I shook my head, running my fingertips over the tender skin. "Surely that's against the rules, abusing students like that. Dumbledore wouldn't stand for it."

"Dumbledore doesn't need to know about my problems," he answered. "You know that better than anyone."

I dropped my head, sighing. He was right. I had tried to avoid letting Dumbledore know about how I struggled. But something told me he knew; he never really missed much.

"You won't tell anyone, right?" He asked quietly, looking me right in the eyes.

"Of course not," I answered. "But they will find out; you can't hide stuff like this forever, Harry."

"I know," he replied. "But I can hide it for a while at the very least."

But like I said, the others found out.

Harry was sitting on the couch one night, flipping through a book while I sat on the floor, my back against his legs. I watched the fire in silence, feeling its warmth rush over my skin. When Ron and Hermione's voices reached my ears, I looked up over my shoulder, meeting Harry's eyes for a few seconds before we both looked away. His left hand bumped against my shoulder as he flexed his fingers.

"… If I'm ever rude to you again…" Ron trailed off as he sat down on Harry's right side.

"I'll know you've gone back to normal." Hermione finished, sitting down on his other side.

There was a brief pause before she spoke again.

"What's wrong with your hand?" She asked in a shaky voice.

"Nothing," Harry responded quickly, resting his other hand on top of the book. I wasn't watching my friends, but I could hear their movements and that was enough.

"The other hand," I heard Hermione whisper; it was silent again until she spoke. "You've got to tell Dumbledore."

"No." Harry argued. I sighed quietly, knowing he would lose his temper if she pushed too hard. "Dumbledore's got enough on his mind right now. Anyway, I don't want to give Umbridge the satisfaction."

I growled under my breath.

"Bloody hell, Harry." Ron said quietly. "The woman's torturing you. If the parent's knew about this -"

"Yeah, well I haven't got any of those have I, Ron?" Harry snapped as quietly as he could. I pressed my back against his legs, trying to soothe him.

Silence followed before Hermione inhaled sharply. "Harry, you've got to report this. It's perfectly simple -"

"No, it's not." Harry cut her off, frustrated. "Hermione, whatever this is it's not _simple_." He was silent for a moment and then he began shifting behind me. "You don't understand."

"Then help us to," she said quietly.

Harry just ignored her, pressing his knees gently against my back. I leaned forward, giving him enough room to stand up; he touched the top of my head in apology before he left.

I sighed and leaned back against the couch; I didn't remove my eyes from the fire as I spoke to my friends. "This is hard for him, guys." I said quietly. "Harry and I are both going through a tough time, you know that, and we both deal with it differently."

"Why won't he talk to us?" Ron asked in a soft voice. "He's our best mate."

I ran a hand through my hair. "He just needs some time. Eventually he'll be able to open up again. He's safe though, I'm looking out for him." They were silent. "Just… give him time. He'll come around."

Eventually, the two of them began a quiet discussion as I watched the flames flicker and dance, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth.

* * *

It was late autumn, early winter, when things took a turn for the worse.

"Do you ever stop eating?" Hermione asked in disbelief. I looked up from my plate to see Ron with a mouthful of sausage. I raised an eyebrow at him; that was his fourth one in the last five minutes.

"What? I'm hungry," he answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Hermione smiled at me, leaning her head against her palm before looking over my shoulder and sitting up straight. I turned around, surprised to see Harry standing next to me.

"Harry." Hermione said in greeting, her tone soft.

Harry hesitated for a few moments, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "Can I join you?"

Hermione was about to reply when the shrill voice I had come to hate echoed into the Great Hall.

"_Pardon me, Professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?"_

Curious, I got up and jogged down to the open doors, finding Umbridge and Professor McGonagall walking slowly up the stairs, glaring at each other. A warm hand wrapped around mine and I looked up to see Cedric standing beside me. He bent down and kissed my temple before we turned back to the two women on the stairs.

"I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices." McGonagall replied firmly.

"So silly of me," Umbridge began. "But it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom, Minerva." I watched as she moved one step higher than McGonagall.

"Not at all, Dolores." McGonagall replied in an annoyed tone, moving to the same step. "Merely your medieval methods!"

Umbridge hesitated and it looked as though she had been deeply insulted; then again, it was probably an act. "I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the Ministry and by extension, the Minister himself." I hissed and Cedric squeezed my hand. "I am a tolerant woman, but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty."

McGonagall stumbled back down a few steps, shocked. "Disloyalty?" She questioned in a quiet tone with a sharp, mocking edge.

Umbridge moved up another step and turned to the rest of us, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action."

Not too long after that public display, a wooden frame was hammered into one of the school walls. I read the announcement behind the glass in the frame with wide, shocked eyes.

_Proclamation._

_Educational Decree  
__No. 23_

_Dolores Jane Umbridge has been appointed to the post of Hogwarts High Inquisitor._

Things went downhill from there.

Articles started popping up in the _Daily Prophet _thanks to Fudge's connections there. Professor Umbridge was depicted as a hero trying to lift the standards at Hogwarts since they were apparently falling so drastically.

She was acting as though she had been appointed Headmistress. She would wander through the halls and correct uniforms, put spaces between boys and girls who were too close together; at one point I even saw her trying to fix a students posture. It was ridiculous.

It seemed as though she wanted us to have no fun at all; she was constantly putting an end to the games Fred and George played out in the courtyard.

And then she got around to interviewing the teachers.

She had interrupted Professor Trelawney during a lesson of Divination, asking how long she had been at her post and then asking for a prediction. Trelawney had hesitated before stuttering out a prediction of dark things to come.

My favourite had been Professor Snape.

"You applied first for the Defence against the Dark Arts post, is that correct?" She asked, circling Snape during a lesson of Potions.

"Yes," he replied in a wary tone.

"But you were unsuccessful?" She asked, coming to stand beside him. He hadn't looked at her since she started her interrogation.

Snape was silent for a moment. "Obviously."

Ron gave in and laughed under his breath. As soon as Umbridge was gone Snape whacked him over the head with his book.

More and more frames were hammered onto the wall.

_No music is to be played during study hours._

_All Weasley products will be banned immediately._

_Proper dress and decorum is to be maintained at all times._

It got to the point where Mr Filch had to use a ladder to get to the free spaces up the top.

And then it happened; we had all been waiting for an act such as this, but it still shocked us all.

The sun was setting behind the hills, casting an orange glow over the school. There, in the middle of the main courtyard, stood Professor Trelawney, surrounded by suitcases and other bags. Cedric had found me as soon as I was out in the corridors and we stood together by one of the arches surrounding the open space, Ron and Hermione right by us; Harry appeared not too long after. I leaned back against Cedric's chest and his arms tightened around my stomach, his lips pressing gently against my hair as Umbridge stepped out into the courtyard.

Trelawney went to walk forward but bumped into a suitcase. Stumbling, she moved around it and spoke to Umbridge in a quiet, shaky voice.

"Sixteen years I've… I've lived and taught here. Hogwarts is my home." She stopped, sniffling. "You… you can't do this."

Umbridge smiled tightly and pulled a roll of parchment from her coat pocket. "Actually, I can."

Professor McGonagall moved through the crowd, slipping past Cedric and I to get into the courtyard. Reaching Professor Trelawney, she wrapped her arms around the shattered woman, soothing her as best she could.

"Something you'd like to say, dear?" Umbridge asked politely, watching Professor McGonagall.

"Oh, there are several things I would like to say." She shot back angrily.

We all stood up straighter when the front doors opened and Dumbledore stepped outside. I craned my neck to see him even though we were at the front of the crowd. It was rare to see Dumbledore out and about since Umbridge's promotion; I couldn't blame him, really.

Umbridge turned to face him as he walked briskly towards her. "Professor McGonagall," he began firmly. "Might I ask you to escort Sybil back inside."

Professor McGonagall ushered Trelawney forward, and I watched as the sniffling Professor squeezed Dumbledore's hands in thanks before continuing inside.

"Dumbledore," Umbridge said in a slightly tense voice and Cedric squeezed me when I stiffened in his arms. "May I remind you that under the terms of Educational Decree number twenty three, as enacted by the Minister –"

"You have the right to dismiss my teachers," Dumbledore interrupted sharply. "You do not, however, have the authority to _banish _them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster."

There was a long silence, and the words that broke it made my top lip curl away from my teeth as resentment for the woman in pink swirled about in my chest.

"For now."

Dumbledore watched her for another moment before turning to head back inside. On his way to the doors, he looked around and spoke angrily. "Don't you all have studying to do?"

Harry shot off after the headmaster, but something told me he wouldn't be given the time today. Ron and Hermione looked over at me, seeing the sneer on my face; they knew I needed time to settle down, and so with tight smiles, they walked back inside.

Cedric bent down as the crowds thinned. "Come on, sweetheart." He murmured. "You need to get back to your common room, it'll be dark soon."

I relaxed at the sound of his voice, leaning back against his chest and exhaling in a rush. "That was horrible to watch," I murmured.

"I know."

"How could she dismiss someone so easily? Does she have any feelings… at all?"

He turned me around and pressed his lips to my forehead before pulling me against his chest. I pressed my face against his shirt and wrapped my arms around his torso.

"It'll be alright, you just need to keep your chin up." He soothed me.

"It's not me I'm worried about."

Cedric leaned back and brushed his fingers against my neck before tipping my head back. He smiled at me and bent down to kiss me; I melted against his lips, feeling his fingers barely brushing my chin. He kissed me sweetly for a few moments before pulling away and framing my face with his hands.

We stood there in the now empty courtyard, our bodies pressed together and our eyes locked on each others faces. It was at times like these that the world around me fell away and all I could focus on was Cedric. A small flutter of anxiety went off in my stomach when I remembered that this was his last year, and these moments would be few and far in between once he left.

That panic overwhelmed me for a moment and I stretched up to kiss him firmly before burying my face in his neck. He wound his arms around me, feeling the tension in my body. He didn't say a word, just rocked me gently.

"I'm not ready for you to leave," I whispered.

He stiffened for a moment before squeezing me. "I'm not ready to leave either, but now isn't the time to think about that." He turned his face so that he could brush his lips against my hair. "Nonetheless, I refuse to go a full year without seeing you."

I shivered in his arms, and he chuckled. "Come on, you need to get inside. Goodness knows how much homework you have."

I smiled at the way he was able to distract me, and groaned against his neck. "Don't remind me. I only finished an essay for Potions an hour ago. My brain is a little dead right now."

He laughed and kissed me once more before taking my hands and leading me inside.

* * *

"That foul, evil old gargoyle." Hermione spat, replying to a comment made about Professor Umbridge. We watched as she paced back and forth in front of the fire; Ron sat on the couch while I sat on the arm and Harry sat at a table behind us. "We're not learning how to defend ourselves, we're _not _learning how to pass our OWL's…" She stopped to look over at us. "She's taking over the entire school."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. The four of us were the only ones still up; the others had chattered about the event in the courtyard earlier in the day before going up to bed. We couldn't sleep for we still had so much left to say on the matter.

The sound of the radio being turned up caught my attention and I looked over my shoulder to see Harry watching it. Hermione and Ron turned as well; the four of us listened intently as Fudge's voice filled the room.

"… Furthermore, we have convincing evidence that these disappearances are the work of notorious mass murderer, Sirius Black."

"They can't be serious…" I muttered in disbelief.

"Harry!"

I jumped in surprise at the deep voice that interrupted our listening. Turning, I spotted Sirius' head in the fireplace, dancing amongst the flames.

"Sirius," Harry muttered, racing around the couch to drop to his knees in front of the fireplace. I leaned forward in my spot on the arm of the couch, bracing myself on my hands. "What are you doing here?"

"Answering your letter," Sirius replied. I felt my brows furrow in confusion before I let it go. It was obvious that Harry would have been writing to his godfather. "You said you were worried about Umbridge. What's she doing? Training you to kill half breeds?"

"Sirius, she's not letting us use magic at all." Harry replied.

"Well, I'm not surprised." Sirius replied. "The latest intelligence is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat."

"Combat?" Ron asked, confused. "What, does he think we're forming some sort of wizard army?"

"That's exactly what he thinks. That Dumbledore is assembling his own forces to take on the Ministry. He's becoming more paranoid by the minute." He hesitated. "The others wouldn't want me telling you this, Harry. But things aren't going at all well with the Order. Fudge is blocking the truth at every turn and these… disappearances are just how it started before. Voldemort is on the move." He finished in a low, grumbling tone.

I hissed at the news and Sirius looked at me. "Have you seen anything, Amber?"

Shaking my head, I willed my body to relax. "Nothing out of the ordinary, but I'll keep my eyes open and let you know if I find something."

He hummed in response. "Umbridge is probably trying to come up with ways to keep you occupied so that you can't do what has been asked of you. She doesn't want you finding answers; she doesn't want you using your gifts against them. Brace yourself because I'm sure she's got something up her sleeve."

"Doesn't come as a shock," I muttered.

"Well, what can we do?" Harry asked, reclaiming his godfathers' attention.

A quiet noise in the background distracted Sirius from Harry's question. He spoke to us in quick, quiet tones. "Someone's coming. I'm sorry I can't be of more help; but for now at least, it looks like you're on your own."

As we watched, Sirius' face disappeared and the flames went out.

I swung my legs over the arm of the chair and stood, arching my back to try and relax my muscles. The others stood and walked towards one of the windows on the wall, watching the storm rage outside. Thunder rumbled and lightening lit up the sky before Hermione spoke, standing closest to the window.

"He really is out there, isn't he?" We were silent and she soon spoke again. "We've got to be able to defend ourselves; and if Umbridge refuses to teach how we need someone who will."

Thunder crashed and lightening lit up the sky as Hermione turned to look at Harry. He knew more about magic than anyone, having had to use it at the most desperate of times. He looked over his shoulder and met my eyes.

I curled my fingers into fists and grinned; it was time to rebel.

* * *

**Ron: You know what I hate?  
BWA: What?  
Ron: Getting comfortable in bed and then realizing you have to pee.  
Amber: Oh dear.  
Emmett: Dude, I hate that, too!  
BWA: -Laughs-  
Cedric: -Stomach rumbles-  
Amber: -Stares- Wow. That was weird.  
Cedric: -Grins- I need food.  
Amber: Then let's go to the kitchen and get some.  
Cedric: Good idea.  
-No one moves-  
BWA: -Snorts- You lot are lazier than I thought.  
Emmett: -Laughs-  
BWA: Anyway, what do you think? Like it? Excited about what happens next?  
Hermione: Where's Harry?  
Amber: He went to get more milk.  
Ron: We were fresh out.  
Voldemort: -From outside- I told you so!  
BWA: Anyway... Do we have anything else to say?  
Emmett: Um.. reviews are love?  
Cedric: And we love you?  
Amber: So leave us some love?  
BWA: Okay, why did I find that so ridiculously adorable?  
Emmett: Because we're awesome?  
BWA: Eh, I'll give you that.  
Emmett: Woo hoo!  
BWA: Oh! Don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Voldemort: You're also out of cheese!  
BWA: Damn it!  
Emmett: -Laughs- **


	6. Listen Up

**Amber: Can I -  
Emmett: No.  
Amber: Please?  
Emmett: No.  
Amber: But -  
Emmett: No.  
Amber: Come on!  
Emmett: Okay.  
Amber: Really?  
Emmett: No.  
Amber: Damn it!  
Emmett: -Laughs-  
BWA: What on earth are you two going on about?  
Amber: Um.. I actually don't even remember anymore. Do you, Emmett?  
Emmett: No idea.  
Cedric: -Snorts-  
Harry: You know what annoys me?  
BWA: What?  
Harry: When you think there's an extra stair when there isn't, and then almost tripping when you try and use it.  
Hermione: -Giggles-  
Ron: You have no idea how many times he trips on invisible stairs in one day.  
Harry: Shut up.  
**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. -Sniffs- Can I get a tissue over here, please? **

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter Six**_  
_**Listen Up**_

Autumn turned to winter and soon the world around us was covered with snow.

Snow that the four of us were currently walking through to get to the old Hog's Head tavern.

As soon as Harry had agreed to teaching us new spells and ways of defence, we had organised a meeting with a group of students in Hogsmeade. Cedric was waiting for us with some of our other friends; I had asked him the day after we had decided to start this little rebellion. He hadn't hesitated to say yes.

"This is mad," Harry complained as we reached the Hog's Head early one Saturday morning. "Who'd want to be taught by me, I'm a nutter, remember?"

"Look on the bright side," Ron answered. "You can't be any worse than old toad face."

Harry was silent for a moment. "Thanks, Ron."

"I'm here for you, mate."

I laughed.

"Who's supposed to be meeting us, then?" Harry asked.

"Just a couple of people," Hermione answered.

We all paused when the door opened. It was dark and dirty inside, but it would do.

"Lovely spot." Ron muttered.

I raised my eyebrows as a goat trotted off into another room; the bartender quickly followed, calling its name.

"I thought it'd be safer somewhere off the beaten track."

After a few more moments of silence, I finally spoke. "Why was there a goat in here?"

Harry smiled.

There was a decent sized group of people waiting for us upstairs; I saw Dean, Luna, Cho, Fred and George, Neville, Ginny, Parvati and Padma as well as a few others I didn't recognise. Cedric stood the moment we walked in the door, walking over to me and taking my hands as I pressed my face against his chest. My cheeks were rosy from the chill outside and it made him smile.

The four of us quietly greeted the students that had decided to meet with us. Harry, Ron and Hermione all sat down at the front of the crowd while Cedric and I stood behind them. Cedric's arm stayed tight around my waist while I leaned against his side; whenever Harry appeared to be getting too nervous I would gently reach out and touch his shoulder, smiling a little when he relaxed.

Silence fell over the room for a few minutes, no one entirely sure what to say. Hermione took a deep breath and stood, shifting slightly on her feet before speaking. "Um… hi." She paused, shifting again as the audience continued to stare. "So… you all know why we're here; we need a teacher. A _proper _teacher. One who's had real experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts."

"Why?" I looked over to the boy who had spoken; I didn't recognise him at all.

"Why?" Ron repeated, slightly annoyed. "Because You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot."

"So he says." The boy shot back calmly, nodding at Harry.

"So Dumbledore says." Hermione corrected.

"So Dumbledore says because he says? The point is, where's the proof?"

"Enough," I hissed, leaning forward. The boy looked at me before shrinking back slightly in his seat.

"If only you could tell us more about how Amber got hurt." Another boy I didn't recognise spoke up and I flinched away. Cedric's arm tightened around me as the boy continued. "I've never seen anything like that in my life."

I took a deep breath as Harry stood to speak. "I'm not going to talk about Amber, so if that's why you're here you might as well clear out now." He turned to Hermione and spoke in a rush. "Come on, Hermione, let's go. They're only here because they think I'm some sort of freak."

"Harry, wait." Hermione whispered, reaching for him as he went to turn away.

"Is it true you can produce a Patronus charm?"

Every head in the room turned towards Luna who was watching us with those calm, knowing eyes. As the heads turned back to us, I realized that Luna was giving us a chance to convince them that we weren't lying. I smiled slightly, grateful.

"Yes," Hermione confirmed after a few moments of stunned silence on our part. "Amber and I have seen it."

"Blimey, Harry." Dean said from his spot next to Neville. "I didn't know you could do that."

It was working.

"And he killed a Basilisk." Neville added. "With the sword in Dumbledore's office."

"It's true." Hermione confirmed again.

"Third year he fought off about a hundred Dementor's at once." Ron spoke up happily.

We all fell silent for a moment when we reached the most painful part for me. I hadn't said a word on this subject and I didn't plan to, this was for the others to figure out and decide for on their own.

"And last year he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh." Hermione said quietly. Cedric pressed his lips to the top of my head when I shuddered against his side.

"Wait," Harry interrupted, pausing for a moment. "Look, it all sounds… great… when you say it like that. The truth is most of that was just luck; and I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I nearly always had help."

"He's just being modest." Hermione said quietly.

"No," Harry said firmly. "Hermione, I'm not." He turned back to our small audience before he spoke again. "Facing this stuff in real life is not like school." He paused, letting that sink in. "In school, if you make a mistake you can just try again tomorrow. But out there… when you're a second away from being murdered, or watching a friend get tortured right before your eyes…" I turned my face into Cedric's chest, whimpering quietly at the memory. "You don't know what that's like."

The room fell silent again as Harry sat down. Cedric raised his other hand to stroke my cheek and I leaned my head back to look up at him. His jaw was tight but his eyes were tender; turning my head, I kissed his palm before looking at Hermione as she spoke again.

"You're right, Harry. We don't." She said, sitting down with him. "That's why we need your help. Because if we're going to have any chance of beating… Voldemort." I blinked, shocked that she'd actually said his name, but she didn't speak again.

Nigel, a young boy who I had seen around the school, spoke up. "He's really back?"

Harry nodded slightly.

"Amber?"

I looked over at Ginny, curious to know why she had called me. "Yes?"

She hesitated for a moment and suddenly I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear what she had to say. "That night…" She trailed off for a beat and I nodded slowly; I knew what she was referring to. "What was it like? For you, I mean."

Cedric's arm tightened around my waist and I heard him suck in a sharp breath. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, pulling those horrible memories to the front of my mind. I knew everyone was watching me. Shuddering slightly at the pictures and flashes that went off in my head, I opened my eyes and met Ginny's gaze.

"Painful," I answered. "Incredibly painful. I'm sure everyone is aware of how I react to Dark Magic, and that night was the most painful encounter I'd had since acquiring these powers." I took a steadying breath, noticing that I had started trembling. "I honestly thought I was going to lose Cedric that night. It came so close to that…" I let my eyes sweep over the room, my voice beginning to shake as my body did. "This is why we need your help; we can't do this alone. _I _can't do this alone. My injuries came from being attacked by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and I came back screaming because the pain was still there. Voldemort had touched my neck and…" I flinched, shaking my head and shrinking back against Cedric.

It was silent for a while and then Cedric's voice replaced mine. "Whether you want to believe it or not, Amber saved my life that night." I noticed that his voice shook, just as mine had. "They need you to trust them; they know what they're doing. They want to help you gain the knowledge you'll need to defend yourselves from what's out there. Give Harry the chance to teach you."

I heard Harry sigh in relief as I placed my hand over the one Cedric had resting on my hip. I looked up at him and he gazed back as Hermione began talking about signing a piece of parchment; when people began to get up, I stretched up on my toes and kissed Cedric's cheek before I followed them to the small desk on the other side of the room. Hermione pulled the parchment out of her pocket and the four of us signed our names before taking a seat behind the desk.

One by one the students that had joined us signed their names; I noticed that Harry kept stealing glances at Cho as she grew closer to the table. Hermione and I shared a smile and once each name had been signed, I turned the parchment around and wrote _Dumbledore's Army up _the top.

* * *

"Right. First we need to find a place to practice where Umbridge won't find out." Harry explained as a group of us crossed the old wooden bridge on our way back to school.

"The Shrieking Shack?" Ginny suggested.

"It's too small," he replied, glancing at her over his shoulder.

"The Forbidden Forest?" Hermione offered.

"Not bloody likely," Ron shot back.

I laughed and Cedric squeezed my hand.

"Harry, what happens if Umbridge does find out?" Ginny asked.

"Who cares?" Hermione answered. "I mean… it's sort of exciting, isn't it, breaking the rules?" She looked at us with a bright smile on her face.

Ron stared at her for a moment. "Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?"

Hermione smiled wider before she spoke. "Anyway, at least we know one positive thing that came from today."

"What's that?" Harry asked, curious.

Hermione turned her head and smiled knowingly at him. "Cho couldn't take her eyes off you, could she?"

Reaching out, I ruffled Harry's hair with my free hand, giggling when he swatted it away. We were all on a bit of a high after finalizing DA. It was a good feeling, knowing you were actually _doing _something.

As we crossed the snow covered courtyard, Harry spoke again. "Over the next few days we should each come up with a couple of possibilities of places we can practice. We've got to make sure wherever it is there's no chance she can find us."

While Dumbledore's Army was a secret, my powers were not.

And Umbridge planned to use that to her advantage.

* * *

**BWA: And there you go, Dumbledore's Army was born!  
Harry: At least you didn't tell us how it was made. Things that end in births are just gross.  
Emmett: -Blinks-  
BWA: -Starts laughing- Oh dear.  
Cedric: Moving on... ?  
BWA: Definitely. -Smiles- I'm sorry that this chapter is such a short one. But, in that respect, it's an important one. The next chapter is much longer.  
Emmett: Do you know what I've always wanted to do?  
BWA: Um.. no?  
Emmett: I've always wanted to spin around in a chair when someone walks into the room and say "I've been expecting you."  
Amber: -Snorts-  
BWA: Okay, I think we'd better get going.  
Cedric: -Smiles- Reviews are love!  
Harry: And we love you!  
Emmett: So leave us some love?  
BWA: Also, don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Amber: So, Emmett, can I -  
Emmett: No.  
Amber: -Whines-  
BWA: -Laughs- **


	7. Battle Scars

**Amber: -Stares at a mannequin-  
BWA: Um, sweetie, what are you doing?  
Amber: Shh! I'm in the middle of a staring contest.  
Emmett: -Tries not to laugh-  
Cedric: -Whispers- Does she know that it's not an actual person?  
Emmett: Who cares? I'm not about to tell her.  
Amber: Dude, I think I'm winning...  
BWA: Okay then... good luck with that. -Looks at Emmett and Cedric- How much sleep did she get last night?  
Emmett: -Shrugs-  
Cedric: I don't think she slept at all.  
BWA: And why not?  
Cedric: She kept going on about not wanting to sleep because there was a monster under her bed.  
Emmett: Did it have a name?  
Cedric: Umbridge.  
Emmett: Oh wow.. that's just creepy.  
BWA: -Cringes- Okay, moving on. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, I love you all and am sending Emmett and Cedric to your houses for cuddles.  
Cedric: I hope no one tries to touch my wand.  
Emmett: Only Amber can do that.  
Cedric: -Winks-  
BWA: Oh dear...  
Amber: -Is still staring- Come on... give in and blink.**

**Disclaimer: It's not mine. -Le sigh- **

_**

* * *

**_

**_Chapter Seven  
Battle Scars _**

"What's the wand movement for this charm?"

"Um… oh, I remember learning about this."

"Come on, keep thinking."

"Flick and… um…"

"Almost there…"

I shoved the book away from me and dropped my head into my hands. Cedric and I were in the Great Hall; he was trying to help me study for my OWL's, but my brain was so full of other things that I just couldn't concentrate. I sighed loudly as he rubbed my back.

"I'm never going to get this right." I grumbled, sitting up and leaning my head on his shoulder.

"That's not true, this stuff is simple." He answered back with a smile, twisting my ringlets around his fingers.

I huffed teasingly. "Oh sure, rub it in. You did this exam two years ago, the questions may have changed."

He rolled his eyes. "Amber, you're one of the smartest girls I know, apart from Hermione. I don't know how her brain holds all that information."

I giggled against his shoulder, feeling some of the study-related stress slip away. "Perhaps we should move the study time to another day; I don't think I'm going to be able to concentrate today."

Sitting up straighter, I pressed my hand to his cheek and kissed him softly. He smiled when I pulled away and bumped his nose against mine. "I love you."

I closed my eyes as his words washed over me. "I love you, too."

"Miss Dawson?"

My eyes opened and I leaned back, turning to see Professor McGonagall standing not too far away from where we sat. "Yes, Professor?"

"The headmaster would like to see you in his office." She looked perfectly calm, but I could see the tension in the way she held her shoulders.

"Of course." I turned to look at Cedric; his brows were furrowed slightly in concern, his eyes on my face. I stretched up and kissed him quickly, feeling him relax slightly under my touch. "I'll see you later."

"Okay," he said quietly, catching my hand as I stood up. He squeezed my fingers and I smiled at him before following McGonagall to Dumbledore's office.

"I thought I should pre-warn you, Miss Dawson." She began as we walked down an empty corridor. "Professor Umbridge is in there with him, and I'm sure she wants something from you."

I groaned in frustration; Professor McGonagall shared my feelings towards Umbridge, so she didn't mind when I voiced my dislike towards the woman. "Great."

"You know you can come to me or Professor Dumbledore if she's putting too much stress on you." She soothed as we came to a stop at the entrance to the headmasters office.

I nodded and stepped onto the swirling staircase when she spoke the password. "Good luck." She said just before she disappeared from sight.

I ran a hand through my hair as I stepped into the small hallway leading to Dumbledore's office. It was completely silent on the other side of the wall; I couldn't imagine Dumbledore and Umbridge wanting to make small talk. I couldn't help but feel a little confused, though. Dumbledore hadn't called me into his office at all this year, instead he kept his distance. Whatever this was, it was important.

When I reached the door to his office I took a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in."

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the room was that Dumbledore and Umbridge were on opposite sides of the room. I could feel the tension in the air; the two Professor's looked calm. Too calm; it made me nervous.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" I asked quietly, moving closer to my headmaster than my Defence against the Dark Arts teacher.

He nodded and I noticed a hint of an apology in his eyes. "I received a letter from the Minister today, Miss Dawson." Those words were enough to make my body go rigid, and he watched as my top lip curled back from my teeth. "Calm down, Amber. You have nothing to worry about." He said soothingly. "The Minister has requested that Professor Umbridge begin regular training sessions with you."

I raised my eyebrows. "Training, sir?"

Umbridge spoke up before Dumbledore could answer. "The Ministry of Magic feels that you should be properly coached; you are, after all, under our protection."

"I didn't ask for it." I said sharply, not liking this at all.

A smile crept onto her face. "But you got it, nonetheless. Now, at the Minister's request, you will be participating in weekly training sessions with me."

"The Ministry knows nothing about what I'm capable of." I hissed as she moved closer to me. "How would you be able to teach me about something you don't understand?"

"The Ministry knows enough, my dear."

I stepped back and hissed at her, baring my teeth.

"I would advise you to keep your distance, Professor." Dumbledore cautioned, stepping around his desk to place a hand on my shoulder. "Whether you believe it or not, Miss Dawson can be incredibly dangerous."

"She wouldn't harm a member of the Ministry." Umbridge stated proudly.

"I wouldn't be so sure; when her instincts kick in, she will attack anyone who poses as a threat to her." He patted my shoulder. "It's in the nature of the animals these instincts came from, after all."

"Ah, yes." The short woman responded. "A tiger and a wolf, correct?"

"That's right." Dumbledore replied, watching my eyes as the colour flickered. "So you would do well to avoid angering her. She may be under Ministry protection but she is still one of my students."

Umbridge huffed, watching as I tried to relax. "When does the training start?" I spat through clenched teeth.

"Today." She replied sweetly. "As soon as you calm down."

"It's snowing." I shot back, trying to avoid talking too much.

She shrugged. "Practice with different terrains." She looked at Dumbledore before glancing back at me. "I shall wait for you downstairs, don't take too long now, my dear." With that, she turned and left the room.

The moment she was out of sight I felt my body relax. The threat was gone.

"Are you alright, Amber?"

I turned to look at Dumbledore. "Yes, I'm fine." I hesitated for a moment. "Do I really have to do this?"

"I'm afraid so." He answered. "They could not be swayed. The Minister wants you completely distracted." He walked back over to his desk and sat down. "If she puts too much strain on you or oversteps a boundary, you must tell me immediately. I will not stand for her putting you through unnecessary pain." He paused. "I should warn you; she plans on testing your resistance to Dark Magic. I've set limits and she knows that, but I can't guarantee that she'll listen."

"Are they allowed to do that?" I asked. "Use Dark Magic on a student, I mean."

He shrugged. "You remember what the Minister said at Harry's hearing, don't you?"

I sighed, defeated. "Rules can be changed if necessary." Shaking my head, I looked up at him again. "So they're allowing her to use Dark Magic on me?"

"Unfortunately, yes, and there's nothing I can do about it." He looked over at Fawkes who was resting on his perch. "But use your defences as best you can."

I nodded distractedly, watching Fawkes with curious eyes. The magnificent bird met my eyes and let out a soft cry. My body went warm and my muscles relaxed; Dumbledore watched our silent exchange with a small smile. "You had better go, Amber. I'm sure Professor Umbridge is growing rather impatient."

"I guess you're right." Turning, I walked slowly to the door. "Wish me luck."

"Luck," he called as I left the room, and I smiled.

I walked quickly down the staircase and out into the corridor, looking warily at Umbridge, my previous bout of humour disappearing.

"Follow me, please." She said before walking briskly down the corridor. I followed steadily behind her, completely silent; she spoke as we walked. "From what the Ministry has documented, I've learned that you are able to cast spells without a wand, is that correct?"

"Yes, that's right." I had been practicing all summer.

"Interesting, I think we'll focus on that today." She hummed in thought. "Also, you have a low tolerance for Dark Magic?"

"Yes."

"We'll try that one later…" She trailed off and I clenched my fists.

She led me out into an open field near the Quidditch pitch. There were a few groups of kids hanging around, but most were inside, escaping the chill.

"Remove your jacket, Miss Dawson."

I raised my eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

She turned and flicked her wand at my jacket. "Remove it. It will restrict your movement."

I bit my tongue to stop myself from being snarky, and shrugged my jacket off my shoulders. The freezing air made goose bumps rise on my arms, but I did my best to ignore it. My body would warm up when I started moving.

"Good." She praised. "Now, I'm going to attack you and you need to deflect as many spells as you can."

I took a deep breath and widened my stance.

"On my mark…" She paused and my world became tinted with blue. "Go."

She mainly cast stunning spells, but she would throw in the odd Expelliarmus from time to time. She had me moving all over the place, casting spells in rapid succession.

"Move faster," she ordered. "Widen your range!"

Unfortunately, I got hit by one of her spells and it threw me to the ground. I hissed in pain when my body slammed into the base of a tree trunk, but got up quickly. A slash of heat ran down my arm and I looked at my skin to see an angry looking gash on my forearm, a large rip in my shirt sleeve.

A bright flash of light whizzed past me and I looked back at Umbridge who was waiting patiently in the middle of the field. I felt the blood from my cut trickle down my arm; the sting and the sight of the woman standing not too far from me made a snarl burst past my lips and before I could stop myself, I whipped my arm out, flinging a spell at her.

She deflected it calmly and threw one right back.

This went on for over an hour, and when she finally decided to stop, I was laying in the snow, healing cuts on my skin and a few bruises appearing on my arms and legs from being hit by her spells.

"Not too bad for your first session, Miss Dawson." She commented. "But we have a lot of things to work on. Your stamina is excellent but your timing is off and you lose your temper too quickly." I sat up so that I was resting on my knees, my hands braced on the snow as I leaned forward, gasping for breath. Even though it was freezing cold, beads of sweat rolled down my cheeks. "I will see you again for another session later in the week." And with that, she left.

I sat there in the snow for a while longer; the students that had been around when the session started had all moved on. My arms shook with my exhaustion; I had never been worked so hard before. It was hardly necessary, and the fact that she aggravated me only made me throw myself into it. But that's what she wanted. She wanted me to be distracted; and when she was concerned, I was in no control of my reactions.

Pushing myself off the ground, I stood up and wrapped my arms around myself. My head spun a little as I walked unsteadily through the snow; I picked up my jacket and shook the snow off it before slinging it over my shoulders. It was ice cold, but at least it was another layer of clothing.

I didn't see anyone until I got closer to the castle; when I did, they watched me as I passed them, zeroing in on my injuries.

When I stepped in through the front doors, I was surprised to see Cedric sitting on the stairs, his head in his hands. He looked up when he heard my footsteps, his eyes widening and his mouth dropping open in shock when he took in my appearance.

"Amber, what the hell happened to you?" He asked as he stood up and jogged over to me, hesitating before he put his hands on my cheeks, flinching from the cold.

"I just had my first training session with Professor Umbridge." I replied, shivering.

His brows furrowed as he led me over to the stairs, making me sit down. "Training?"

I nodded weakly, slumping against his warm body as he pulled me close. "She's organized weekly training sessions to make sure I'm up to standard because I'm under the Ministry's protection."

"That's ludicrous," he said. "And she gave you these injuries?" I nodded. "Surely that's not allowed… aren't there rules?"

I sighed, thinking of Fudge's words from the hearing. "Rules can be changed if necessary."

"And this is going to happen once a week?"

I nodded again, my eyes beginning to flutter shut.

"Hey," he said softly and I opened my eyes again. "No sleeping yet; we need to get you cleaned up." He looked over his shoulder before getting up and gently pulling me with him. "We need to stop by your common room so that we can get you some clean clothes."

I didn't ask why and I didn't argue, I just walked with him to the Gryffindor tower, mumbling the password and waiting while he went into the dorm to get some clothes for me. I leaned against the railing on the staircase and rested my forehead on my arms while I waited, letting my mind de-fuzz from my exhaustion.

He wasn't gone long, and I was proud of myself for being coherent enough to walk properly, only clasping his hand in mine as he led me to the Prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow but he ignored me.

I sat down on the edge of the massive bathtub and watched as he locked the door with a flick of his wand. He knelt down in front of me and took my face in his hands. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," I replied. "I'm feeling a bit better now. I can actually think, but I feel all gross and sticky."

"That's because you've been bleeding, sweetheart." He smiled softly before examining the already healing gash on my arm. "How did this happen, anyway?" He asked, carefully touching the tender skin.

"A spell threw me onto the ground and I hit the bottom of a tree. I didn't realize the bark had cut my arm until I got up." I smiled when he raised my hand to his lips and kissed my palm.

"Any other cuts?" He mumbled, reaching for one of the towels I didn't realize he had, but then again, this was the Prefect's bathroom, they had everything in here.

"Um… No, I'm pretty sure that cut is the worst one. There's a few other scrapes here and there but they'll be pretty much healed by morning." I silently thanked my quick healing.

He exhaled in relief, looking up at my face before grazing his fingers over my neck. "You have a bruise." He said quietly.

"I'm not surprised," I replied, tipping my head back slightly. "I'll probably find more later on."

"Um, Amber?"

I looked at Cedric's face, surprised to see that he looked a little… nervous?

"Yeah?"

"This is going to sound a little strange, but um… can you take your shirt off, please?" I raised my eyebrows, teasing. "So I can… um… get to the gash on your arm."

I giggled quietly before shrugging out of my jacket and grabbing the hem of my ripped up t-shirt. Cedric looked down at my feet as I pulled it carefully over my head, wincing slightly as the sleeve brushed over my gash. Setting both articles of clothing on the ground, I touched Cedric's cheeks to get him to lift his head.

His gaze travelled over my bare stomach, skimming over my chest before settling on my face. His cheeks were slightly flushed; he was absolutely adorable. It was then that I realized he didn't know just how comfortable I was around him. He was my other half; there was no awkwardness with me.

"Cedric, really." I bent down and pressed my forehead against his. "Stop worrying, I'm perfectly content right now. Your concerns are entirely your own."

He exhaled, smiling that silly lop-sided smile that I loved before tipping his head back to kiss me softly. "Good, because it's going to get worse."

I hummed. "How so?"

"I need you to get in the bath."

My eyes snapped open and I laughed. "Wow, you get right to the point, don't you?"

He laughed with me before getting up and turning on the ridiculous number of faucets above the gigantic bath. I watched as the bath slowly filled with water, bubbles appearing as the water level rose. I watched Cedric's back as he rummaged through a bag that seemed to have come out of nowhere. I wasn't sure if it was from a charm of whether he'd stashed it somewhere, but I saw lots of little medical things in there.

Smiling softly, I stood and turned away from him, shimmying out of my jeans and the two small articles of clothing I had left before I stepped over the edge of the tub, easing myself into the warm water. I let out a soft moan of content and Cedric laughed from behind me.

"How's the water?" He asked, walking over to me and sitting on the edge of the bath.

"Heavenly," I sighed, leaning my head against the rim. I had kept my injured arm out of the water and Cedric grabbed it gently. I smiled when I realized that he'd rolled up his jeans so that he could stick his feet in the water.

"Hold still," he mumbled, grabbing a small towel and wetting it slightly. "This might sting a bit."

I smiled. "I'm sure I've suffered through worse."

He rolled his eyes, "let me be the concerned boyfriend, okay?"

Giggling, I relaxed further into the water. "You know, that term never really seemed to fit right." I raised my free hand, gathering bubbles in my palm before blowing them off.

"What, the whole boyfriend and girlfriend thing?" He asked, tenderly cleaning the blood and dirt off the gash that was longer and deeper than I first thought. I winced when he dabbed the towel over the split skin. "Sorry," he mumbled.

I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, trying to ignore the light sting. "Yeah, those don't fit us. But then again, everything else I come up with sounds incredibly corny."

"But they probably fit better," he replied. "Personally, I think soul mates works just fine."

I hummed softly, smiling. "Fated to love him…" I whispered.

"Destined to be hers," he added just as quietly.

I looked up at him and the love in his eyes dazed me for a moment. "I love you."

He smiled. "I love you, too." Gently moving my arm, he bent down and kissed me tenderly.

Cedric continued to clean up my wound while I played with the bubbles in the water. Once he had gotten rid of all the dirt and dried blood he tapped his wand against my skin, using a cleaning charm to save time. He winked at me as I watched him wrap gauze around my arm, protecting my injury from anything that might cause me more pain.

"There, all done." He announced proudly, taking my hand in his once he had put the excess gauze away. "Feel better?"

"Much." I replied. "Thank you."

He smiled at me before letting go of my hand. "You can dunk your head under, if you want."

I laughed, realizing that he knew what I wanted. Holding my arm out of the water, I sank down, plunging my head into the liquid that was wrapped around my body. I stayed under for a few seconds before resurfacing, pushing my hair out of my face with my free hand.

"There." I giggled. "Now I'm clean all over."

Cedric shook his head with a smile before reaching for a towel. "Ready to get out?"

I nodded, looking at my right hand. "I should… my fingers are all wrinkly."

He chuckled, turning his head away and holding the towel out for me to wrap around myself as I stood, stepping back over the edge of the bath and onto the tiles. Pulling the towel tighter around my body, I reached for another towel and rubbed it over my hair, drying it off as best I could before I sat down next to Cedric, facing the opposite way. I leaned back slightly, turning my face towards his and meeting his lips with mine. He ran his fingers through my now damp hair, his lips slipping over mine as they parted and our tongues met. I raised my left arm to grasp at the back of his neck, pulling his face closer to mine so that I could deepen the kiss.

The kiss slowed after a while and when we pulled away we were both flushed and breathing heavily. I rested my forehead against his and sighed, feeling completely relaxed with him around. Once again, I cherished the feeling.

"I should probably put some clothes on." I whispered. "It's starting to get cold."

He smiled and leaned away, watching as I got up and walked over to the pile of clothes he had grabbed for me. I looked at him over my shoulder and winked, giggling as he turned away so I could get dressed. The moment I had put on the jeans and shirt he had picked out, I walked over to the collection of sinks and gazed at my reflection in the mirror above them.

Cedric was right; I did have a bruise on my neck. It wasn't too bad, just a purple splotch on my skin. It would be gone by the end of the week. I could feel a little scratch on my shoulder and a few bruises on my legs, but other than that and the unpleasant gash on my arm, I was fine. I looked at my hair and frowned before running my fingers through it and repeating a drying charm in my head, feeling the strands soften and dry as they slipped through my fingers.

"You're amazing, do you know that?" Cedric asked as he came up behind me and gently wrapped his arms around my stomach, pulling me back against his chest.

"I didn't until you told me," I replied with a grin.

He laughed and leaned down to kiss my shoulder before he went off to collect my clothes and put them in that bag that had come out of nowhere when I first got in the bath. I took his hand when he offered it to me and we left the bathroom with soft smiles.

"Now," he began when we reached my common room. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, really. You don't have to worry; you took excellent care of me." I soothed him, reaching up to run my fingers through his hair. "I understand that seeing me earlier was a little frightening, but really, I'm okay."

He smiled and kissed me gently, holding me close to his body. We parted when my breathing began to skip. We must have lost track of time in the bathroom because the sun was beginning to set. "I'll see you tomorrow," he murmured, kissing my forehead before stepping away.

"I love you." I whispered.

He smiled. "I love you, too."

I sighed, relaxed, and murmured the password to the fat lady, slipping into the common room when the door opened.

Of course, as soon as I found the others they noticed the gauze wrapped around my arm. I explained Umbridge's practice sessions and calmed them down when they began to worry. Dumbledore's Army was more important than my minor injuries, and I managed to distract them from my healing gash. The last thing they needed to worry about right now was me; we were rebelling, and that in itself was a big deal.

We quietly and excitedly discussed our plans for the rest of the night.

* * *

**BWA: And that is why we all hate Umbridge.  
Emmett: Dude, she got her butt kicked.  
Amber: -Is still staring-  
Emmett: I can't believe Cedric was scared to ask his girlfriend to take her top off. You're such a prude.  
Cedric: -Rolls eyes-  
Amber: Hey, do you remember in second year when we came across Mrs Norris when she got petrified?  
Harry: -Pops up out of nowhere- Yeah, I remember that.  
Ron: -Laughs- I still remember what Filch said to Harry.  
Hermione: -Impersonates Filch- You... murdered my cat.  
Ron: You shall become my new cat.  
BWA: -Laughs-  
Emmett: Oh! Oh! What's an Owl's favourite band?  
Cedric: -Grins- The Who.  
Emmett: Damn it!  
Cedric: That was so obvious.  
BWA: Okay, that's about it from us. We're getting a little crazy.  
Emmett: A little? Understatement of the century. -Points at Amber who's still staring at the mannequin-  
Harry: Reviews are love!  
Cedric: And we love you!  
Emmett: So leave us some love?  
BWA: And don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Amber: -Sneezes-  
Emmett: A-ha! You blinked!  
Amber: Dang it.  
**


	8. You're Stronger Than You Think

**Emmett and Amber: Give me some fin. -Hi five- Noggin. -Headbutt- Duuuuuuude.  
BWA: Damn it! Who let these two watch Finding Nemo? You know how they get when it comes to quoting movies. -Facepalm-  
Harry: Yeah, I'm pretty sure they got that trait from you.  
BWA: -Glares- Can it, Harry Farter.  
Harry: -Blushes-  
Cedric: -Snorts- Farter?  
Emmett: Oh man, have you ever shared a room with that kid after he eats Mrs Weasley's chilli sauce?  
Cedric: -Cringes- Why does that sound so dirty?  
BWA: Because you've spent too much time around me?  
Cedric: Probably.  
BWA: -Smiles- Anyway, welcome back! The DA has been created and now it's time to get down to business! Major thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far, I love you all. Emmett sized bear hugs for you all!  
Harry: With a side of Mrs Weasley's chilli sauce?  
Emmett: Hell no!  
BWA: -Laughs-  
Ron: Remember, back in our first year, when we got that troll in the school?  
Hermione: Yeah. -Giggles- And Professor Quirrel.  
Harry: "TROOOOOLL IN THE DUNGEON!"  
Ron: -Sings to the tune of Smoke On The Water"- Troll in the dungeon, and pumpkins in the sky...  
Amber: More like gin in the teacher.  
BWA: -Snorts- **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but I do own Amber and a dirty, dirty, ridiculously strange mind. **

_**

* * *

**_

**_Chapter Eight  
You're Stronger Than You Think_**

I had found a note from Dumbledore on the desk next to my bed the following morning. He had excused me from my classes for the day, knowing that I would still be a bit sore. Apparently, whenever I had a training session, I had the following day off to recover. I smiled when he mentioned that Cedric would be excused from his classes as well.

Cedric had checked the gash on my arm straight after breakfast, and took me outside to change the gauze. The sun was peeking through the clouds, so it wasn't unpleasant being out in the snow.

We wandered about in the snow for a while, eventually having a snowball fight. It was nice just to relax and enjoy my time with Cedric. When we were alone, we spoke about Dumbledore's Army; we still hadn't found a place to practice.

But Neville had.

Cedric and I had made our way back to the Great Hall by the time everyone's classes had finished for the day. The sight reached me just before she did, and when I was looking through my own eyes again, I lifted my head to see Hermione jog into the room. I raised my arm and waved at her, capturing her attention; she grinned and all but sprinted over to us, taking a moment to catch her breath before she spoke. I smiled at the excitement and disbelief in her eyes.

"What's up, sparky?" I asked with a smile, hearing Cedric chuckle quietly behind me.

She took the hand that wasn't wrapped around Cedric's and tugged, impatient. "Come on!"

I stood up, pulling Cedric with me. "What are you so excited about?"

She leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "We may have found a place to practice. Neville just came and found us; apparently he came across a place we never considered."

Grinning, I let her lead the way; we found the others in an upstairs corridor, all gathered to the side. Harry winked at us when we reached them before urging Neville forward. The corridor we were in was virtually empty, so we weren't worried about people spying on us. We watched as Neville stepped towards the wall, and to our complete shock an intricately designed door appeared in the castle wall.

"Where does it lead?" I asked quietly, looking at Hermione who was all but buzzing with excitement.

"I think I know," she replied, walking forward and pushing the door open.

Once we had all stepped inside, the door closed behind us and disappeared, being replaced by a wall of slightly stained glass on our side. Turning away from the wall I took in the room we were standing in; it was a long, empty room with a high ceiling and arches on the walls, a few large windows dotted along the walls and at the other end of the room was a warm looking fireplace.

"You've done it, Neville." Hermione said after a few moment of silence. Her quiet voice sounded awed and overjoyed. "You've found the Room of Requirement."

"The what?" Ron asked, confused.

"It's also known as the come-and-go room?" Hermione offered. "The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has real need of it, and is always equipped for the seekers needs."

"So," Ron began slowly as the dark room began to lighten slightly. "Say you really needed the toilet…?"

We all glanced at Ron and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.

"Charming, Ronald." Hermione replied, fighting a smile. "But yes, that is the general idea."

"It's brilliant," Harry spoke up. "It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back."

Fred and George bumped fists as I smiled up at Cedric, elated.

* * *

We had our first meeting later in the week, not wanting to rush into this and give ourselves away. The first spell that Harry had decided to teach was one that Cedric and I knew already; but I was overwhelmed with curiosity as I watched the others try to knock the wand out of the wooden statues hand.

Neville stood at the front of the line, shifting awkwardly while everyone else peered over the shoulder of the person in front of them. Cedric had his hands on my hips, trying to still my excited bouncing.

I watched as Harry nodded at Neville who looked to the statue and raised his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" He seemed to mumble the word, but I didn't have time to think on it for his wand shot backwards out of his hand and whipped down the line. We all ducked to avoid being hit, watching as the wand smacked against the glass behind us.

"I'm hopeless," Neville muttered sadly.

Harry was quick to reassure him, correcting his blunder smoothly. "You're just flourishing your wand too much. Try it like this…" He barely took a breath before flicking his wand. "Expelliarmus!"

I smiled when the wand flew out of the statues hand, clattering quietly onto the floor.

xXx

Of course, we had to balance DA meetings with schoolwork; Umbridge gave us piles of homework that always kept us up late, hunched over our parchments, brainstorming on answers. Most of the time we went to bed exhausted, but on days where we got together and trained every one of us was jittery.

"You will please copy the approved text four times to ensure maximum retention." I rolled my eyes as Umbridge walked slowly down the aisles between the desks, my quill scratching against my parchment. "There will be no need to talk."

"No need to think is more like it," Hermione shot back quietly and I bit my cheek to stifle a grin.

"Wands away," I heard her scold in her happy tone. The whistle of a wand slicing through the air suddenly stopped, as did Neville's muttering.

xXx

Filch had begun to follow us when we made our way to the Room of Requirement, but we always knew how to throw him off.

"Stunning is one of the most useful spells in your arsenal," Harry explained, walking down the gap we had created by lining up opposite each other, a few feet away. "It's sort of a wizard's bread and butter, really." He reached the opposite end of the room, his back to the wall of glass. "So, come on then, Nigel. Give it your best shot."

I looked at the young boy on the opposite end of the room, his back to the fireplace. His nostrils flared slightly before he lurched forward, swinging his arm wildly. "Stupefy!"

My head whipped to Harry and I smiled giddily as the spell hit him square in the chest. He became airborne for a second before hitting the ground with a _smack_, the force of the spell knocked Nigel back as well, and he stumbled backwards in tandem.

"Good," Harry puffed, the air having been forced from his lungs. He sounded very pleased, though. "Not bad… at all… Nigel… well done."

Nigel sat up and looked around in a daze.

I had been paired up with Fred who had grinned at me from the other side of the room. As soon as we were given the all clear to cast our spell, I had whipped my arm to the side – not needing a wand – and knocked him off his feet.

Cedric was paired with George, the two cast at the same time and I laughed when they both fell backwards.

Ron and Hermione were the next pair to cast their spell; Cedric winked at me and I rolled my eyes with a soft laugh, watching as Ron walked to the other side of the room. The boys all cheered and egged him on, the way boys do.

I heard Fred and George make a bet in whispers and Ginny bumped her shoulder against mine as we waited excitedly to see who would cast first. Ron took a breath and went to speak, but Hermione was faster.

"Stupefy!"

I bit down hard on my bottom lip to keep from laughing as Ron was flung backwards, a small girly whimper passing his lips before he hit the ground. Ginny started giggling and I couldn't help but join in.

When Ron was back on his feet, he walked back to the line of boys and muttered, "I let her do that… it's good manners, isn't it? It was completely intentional."

xXx

"Safe to say she's annoyed about something," I muttered to the others as I sat down on the couch, being careful of my back. After losing my focus and turning, I had been hit in the back with an immobilization spell. That, along with the way I landed on the ground were what caused the angry bruise I was bearing on my skin.

xXx

_Proclamation_

_Educational decree_

_No. 82._

_All students will submit to questioning about suspected illicit activities._

I waited in line with my friends, stretching lazily as the person in front of me was called up to Umbridge's office. She had heard that a group of students were rallying together, and she was beginning to panic.

"Miss Dawson?" She called at least ten minutes later.

I smiled and walked into her office, sitting down and taking the cup of tea she offered me in my hands. Lifting the cup to my mouth, I kept my lips firmly pressed together and made my throat move to give the illusion that I had swallowed. I could smell the potion she had slipped into my cup and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

I lied smoothly the whole while.

xXx

"Very good, keep your concentration."

Cedric and I stood with Ron and the others, watching as Cho made Nigel hover in the air, the levitation spell rippling and warping the air around the small boy.

"A little higher," Harry murmured, gently wrapping his hand around her wrist to raise her arm.

Cho, suddenly distracted, turned her head to look at Harry and I watched as the spell disconnected and Nigel fell to the ground. I turned my head and pressed it against Cedric's chest to stifle my giggles.

Nigel stood up quickly, straightening his uniform. "I'm okay, I'm okay."

xXx

Fred and George decided to have some fun with Filch after a while.

When they got back to the common room one night, they shared their sight with me, remembering Filch's expression as he gazed at each of the chocolates they had put in a heart shaped box. Eventually, the boils had popped up on his face and I cut off the connection before I could see one explode.

xXx

"How bad was it?" Cedric asked, cleaning up a shallow gash on my neck, apologizing when I winced.

I bit my lip, unsure of what to tell him. She was using more advanced spells, now. Ones that I wasn't able to react to as quickly as I usually did. The particular spell she had used today had hit me square in the chest and made my body slam against a nearby brick wall; a sharp bit of brick had scraped against my neck as I shuddered from the aftershocks.

"It could have been worse," I replied, stroking his cheek when he gazed at me in concern.

xXx

Most of the DA members were coming close to perfecting the simple stunning spell.

xXx

"_Those wishing to join the Inquisitorial Squad for extra credit may sign up at the High Inquisitors Office."_

xXx

"Cedric, really…" I sighed, pressing my hand to his cheek as he inspected a bruise on my stomach. "There are more important things to worry about right now."

"Not for me," he answered honestly.

xXx

"Diminuendo!" Nigel cried and I grinned when the large wheeled statue shrank to a miniscule size and whizzed away.

xXx

"Working hard is important," Harry began, correcting the way wands were held as he passed certain people. "But there's something that matters more: believing in yourself." A girls jaw dropped as she effectively stunned her partner. "Think of it this way; every great wizard in history has started out as nothing more than what we are now. Students. If they can do it, why not us?"

xXx

"I'm not a human stress ball," I groaned, stretching out on the floor by the fireplace.

Hermione looked at the gauze wrapped tightly around the calf of my left leg and the shallow scrapes on my right cheek. Her gaze lingered on the bruises that dotted my arms.

"This isn't training," she said angrily. "She's attacking you once a week."

I shook my head. "Don't focus on me. Focus on DA."

xXx

"Stupefy!"

"Expelliarmus!"

I watched as the wheeled statue in the middle of the large circle we made lurched in all different directions. Whatever student it neared cast a spell before it could get too close, sending it whizzing in another direction.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Reducto!" Ginny cried when the statue neared her and my eyes widened when it exploded and turned to ash in a blinding burst of light. Goose bumps washed over my skin and I smiled at the power behind the spell.

Ginny shifted slightly where she stood, smiling sheepishly.

Harry grinned proudly.

xXx

"Expelliarmus!"

The entire room fell silent as Neville's voice filled the room and the clattering of a wand hitting the floor quickly followed. He did it!

Parvati Patil, his casting partner, lurched forward with a grin, congratulating him.

I grinned, leaning back against Cedric's chest as he laughed; relieved to see that Neville had successfully cast the spell he had been working so hard on.

"Fantastic, Neville." Harry praised. "Well done, man."

xXx

"So, that's it for this lesson." Harry began as he, Ron, Hermione and I stood at the front of the room while our audience watched on. "Now, we're not going to be meeting again until after the holidays…" A quiet groan of complaint rolled over the group of students and I looked over my shoulder at Nigel who stood behind us, clutching parchment to his chest. He met my eyes and I smiled. "So, just keep practicing on your own as best you can and… well done everyone. Great, great work."

We all clapped giddily, proud of what we had achieved and excited for our next meeting.

Once the applause died down we all moved to collect our things. I walked over to Cedric who had wandered over to one of the mirrors on a stand, turning to smile at me when I reached him. I looked at the photo they had stuck on the mirror and smiled; it was a photo of Cedric and I that had been taken at the Yule Ball. His arms were wrapped tight around my stomach and my head was leaning against his chest. We looked up at each other and smiled before glancing back at the camera. There was another photo of the original Order of the Phoenix there, too. All their proud faces smiling at us, almost as though they were witnessing our progress.

It was a reminder of everything we were working towards. Rebelling against the Dark Arts by doing what was right, and protecting the lives of those we loved.

Cedric sighed happily and took my hand, turning and leading me to the door. Harry walked to us and Cedric ruffled his hair before I wrapped my arms around him, kissing his forehead when I pulled away.

"I'm so proud of you," I whispered, pinching his nose before I followed Cedric out of the room.

We broke away from our friends as we left, going down the opposite corridor and simply enjoying the moment. Half way down the hall Cedric stopped and pulled me against his chest. I looked up at his face in confusion and he pointed above our heads; I laughed, seeing the mistletoe hanging from the roof.

"We can't ignore tradition, now, can we?" He said softly, brushing his fingertips gently against my neck before running them over the bruise on my left shoulder with the utmost care.

"Hey," I whispered, cradling his face in my hands. "Don't focus on that, focus on me. Right here." He sighed and met my eyes. "I love you, remember that."

A smile twitched at his lips and I stretched up on my toes, pressing my forehead to his as his other arm wrapped tight around my waist. "I love you, too. I just hate that she's putting you through this."

"Focus," I reminded him. "I'm fine." He closed his eyes and I tilted my head up to meet his lips, they parted and our tongues met. The entire world fell away as we held each other close, our fears and concerns disappearing as we lost ourselves in sensation.

* * *

Harry joined us in the common room a while later and I laughed at his expression. He looked dazed, awed and absolutely elated.

"What's up with you?" I smiled, watching as he met my eyes before the world around me changed.

_Cho glanced up at the mirror, looking at all the different photos and talking about how happy she was to be a part of Dumbledore's Army._

_Mistletoe springing to life above their heads…_

_The two leaning in, eyes drifting closed…_

"Okay!" I cried, flinching away as I lost his sight. "I did not need to see that."

Harry laughed as he sat down with his back to the fireplace. I stood up from the couch and moved to sit beside him, resting my head on his shoulder and flicking his ear.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For grossing me out." I laughed. "But I'm happy for you."

"What happened?" Ron asked, walking over to us and sitting next to Hermione on the couch.

"Harry just locked lips with Cho Chang."

It fell silent for a moment as Harry basked in the joy that first kisses brought with them. I smiled and relaxed beside him, ignoring the slight twinge from my most recent injuries.

"Well… how was it?" Ron asked after a moment, nervous and curious at the same time.

Harry hesitated, trying to find the right word. "Wet." I snorted a laugh and he hurried to elaborate. "I mean, she was sort of crying."

"That bad at it are you?" Ron asked through soft laughter.

Hermione's head whipped towards him. "I'm sure Harry's kissing was more than satisfactory." She said, defending our friend.

Harry smiled, nodding proudly.

"Cho spends half her time crying these days." She continued softly and I looked up. I hadn't noticed… then again, I'd been a bit distracted.

"Think a bit of snogging would cheer her up," Ron said, his voice breaking with his laughter on the last word.

Harry raised his eyebrows and I bit my lip to stifle my smile.

"Well, don't you understand how she must be feeling?" Hermione asked, and then, realizing that she was talking to a couple of boys, chose to explain further. She prattled on so fast that I struggled to keep up; I managed to catch on to the end of her speedy elaboration. "… Conflicted because Umbridge is threatening to sack her Mum from her job at the Ministry and frightened of failing her OWL's because she's so busy worrying about everything else."

Did she take a breath at all during that?

Ron exhaled softly, stunned. "One person couldn't feel all that… they'd explode."

Hermione looked at him with a shocked expression. "Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon."

It was silent for a moment before I gave in and started giggling; Ron laughed quietly and Harry joined in. Hermione took one look at my face before she began shaking with the force of her giggles.

I enjoyed the moments like these, for they distracted me from the fact that right now, happiness wouldn't last.

And reality would be quick to find us again.

* * *

**Harry: Remember when you and your brothers came to pick me up in second year, Ron?  
Ron: Yep.  
Harry: Did you hear what Uncle Vernon said when he came into my room?  
Cedric: Pork where you are in the name of gravy!  
Emmett: -Laughs-  
Hermione: What about that song they sung in our third year?  
Harry: Ohh, I remember that. -Sings- In the cauldron boil and bake...  
Amber: -Sings along- Good for breakfast or for treats, crunchy baby chicken feets...  
Ron: -Joins in- Teacher is a leprechaun, dance around with goat heads on...  
Everyone: Something wicked this way comes!  
Emmett: Do you think Dementor's have a theme song?  
Cedric: Probably. -Thinks and starts singing- Evil, evil, learn to be evil. Evil is fun and doomp-a-dee-doo.  
Emmett: Wow. Kinda mixed your Dementor's in with Ooompa Loompa's there, Ced.  
Cedric: -Shrugs-  
BWA: Okay, let's take ourselves away from this ridiculously amusing singing for a moment, shall we?  
Amber: -Laughs- Probably a good idea.  
BWA: Are you liking this so far? Excited about what happens next? Let me know!  
Harry: Reviews are love!  
Cedric: And we love you!  
Emmett: So leave us some love?  
Ron: Otherwise we'll make Emmett spend a night with Harry after he eats chilli.  
Emmett: Oh, dear God!  
Ron: -Laughs evilly-  
Emmett: -Glares- I hate you so much right now.  
Hermione: Hey, when Dumbledore let us off the hook for exams in our second year, what do you reckon he was thinking?  
Dumbledore: -Drunkenly- Head out into the world as the uneducated rabble that you are, see if I give a tin schilling. That's right, whoop it up. You RETARDS!  
Everyone: -Starts laughing- **


	9. Heartbeats

**Amber: Hey, Harry?  
Harry: Hmm?  
Amber: When you threatened to strangle Dobby in the hospital wing... why didn't you just whack him with your noodle arm?  
BWA: -Stares- Um, we're back, by the way.  
Emmett: Ohai thar.  
BWA: -Smiles-  
Ron: Remember our second year Herbology class, with the Mandrakes?  
Amber: Oh man, they killed my ears.  
Hermione: -Imitating Professor Sprout- Grasp your Mandrake!  
Emmett: But never in public!  
BWA: -Tries not to laugh-  
Harry: What about that Transfiguration class?  
Amber: Oh yeah. -Imitates Professor McGonagall- Today we'll be transforming animals into water goblets.  
Cedric: Why? Because we can! -Cackles-  
BWA: -Starts giggling-  
Voldemort: -Runs into the room- Ha! Abra ka-DIE-bra, punks!  
BWA: -Squeals with laughter-  
Emmett: -Looks at BWA- Is she okay?**

**Disclaimer: It's not mine, blah blah blah. -Pulls random faces- **

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter Nine  
Heartbeats **_

_Whispers of encouragement rang in our ears as we grew closer to our destination. The voice speaking in a tongue I didn't recognize, but the name was impossible to miss._

_Harry…_

_Our gaze moved to the side, an image in the marble wall reflecting back at us; the long, smooth body of a snake. Fear settled in my stomach when I realized that was us; we were that snake._

"_Voldemort may be after something…"_

_Faster and faster we moved, the door we had our eyes on coming closer and closer. We stretched up and I saw the doorknob, the familiar Ministry of Magic emblem engraved on the surface._

"_Something he didn't have last time…"_

_We moved through the door as if it wasn't there, seeing a lone figure walking down the long corridors, his wand close to his head, the tip dimly shining._

_A pale hand…_

_A light in a dark, dusty, cob web filled hallway…_

_The sun peeking out through the dark clouds, painting the sky a deep orange…_

_A small glass sphere, mist swirling about inside as it sat on a dusty shelf._

_We slithered up behind the tall wizard, waiting for him to turn. He heard our threatening sounds and turned out of curiosity, his eyes widening and his face washing over with fear when he saw us._

_It was Mr. Weasley._

_We wasted no time, knocking him to the ground and lunging again and again, our fangs scraping at his skin. The bloodlust urged us on, the air whistling past us as we moved with smooth precision, our strikes quick and damaging._

_Our prey began to shake, his hands fluttering over his wounds. We gave him no chance to dwell on them, though, for we struck again, embedding our fangs in his skin, creating new cuts and angry gashes._

_When the body went limp, we relaxed and continued on down the hall…_

xXx

I shot up in my bed, my chest heaving and my body shivering as pain washed over me in steady waves. I squeezed my eyes shut as I bent backwards, my body curving violently as the familiar pain of Dark Magic rolled over my skin. I bit down on my bottom lip to keep from making a noise; I refused to wake the others.

"Amber? Amber, are you okay?"

A warm hand touched my skin and the pain disappeared, my eyes opening and locking onto Ginny's worried face. She helped me sit up again, for I had gone limp on the bed, and watched as I caught my breath, my skin glistening with sweat.

"What happened?" She asked quietly.

I looked up at her, my eyes wide with panic. She took a step back at the intensity of my gaze but took my hand when I held it out to her. Bella hooted nervously from her perch and I looked back at her for a second before pushing the window open.

"Get Professor McGonagall," I hissed. "Go!"

She wasted no time, stretching her wings and launching herself out the window as I walked quickly from the room, pulling Ginny along behind me. I didn't have time to check on Harry, which was why I had called for McGonagall; I had to get Ginny to Dumbledore's office.

"Amber, would you please tell me what's going on?" Ginny gasped breathlessly as I all but dragged her out of the common room and down the stairs.

"I'll explain in a moment," I answered, seeing Professor McGonagall rushing towards us from a few floors down.

"Miss Dawson," she cried when she was close enough. "What are you doing up, and why was your owl in my room?"

"Harry had a dream involving Mr. Weasley," I answered. "He's been attacked, Dumbledore has to be notified!" I looked back at Ginny; her face had gone pale. "Get Harry and bring him to Dumbledore, he mustn't be left alone tonight."

Her eyes filled with panic as she all but sprinted past us to get to Gryffindor Tower. I tugged on Ginny's hand, muttering reassurances as we ran the rest of the way to Dumbledore's office.

He was waiting in the corridor by the time we reached him; he wasted no time getting us upstairs, grasping my shoulder firmly when we were safely in his office. Ginny sat down in a nearby chair while I stood before the headmaster and watched him with wide, panicked eyes. He leaned forward and put his hands on my shoulders, his expression intense.

"What happened?" He asked softly.

I shook my head, struggling to piece it all together. "He was dreaming, and somehow he linked it to me; we were in the Ministry while Mr. Weasley was on patrol… he turned and we attacked him. His injuries are severe, they have to find him!" I cried, shuddering.

"Were there any lingering effects?" He asked.

I nodded, knowing what he was referring to. "The burn was there, just as I remembered it." I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the sweat cool on my forehead. "It was Nagini, Voldemort's snake."

Ginny took a shuddering breath and I turned to look at her as Dumbledore called for the other Weasley children to be sent to his office. I didn't move from where I stood, instead I watched the door, waiting for the others to arrive.

They didn't take long; Fred and George made it to us not long before the others, but an edge of panic settled over the room when McGonagall burst through the door with Ron and a sweaty, stunned and frightened Harry.

The boys joined their sister as I moved to stand beside Harry, gently touching his arm as his eyes flicked around the room, his chest heaving with his labored breaths. When his breathing evened out and he settled next to me, Dumbledore began his questioning, having had his back to us since the others entered the room.

"In the dream were you standing next to the victim, or looking down at the scene?" He asked calmly, glancing over at a painting on the wall.

"Neither… I…" his voice shook and I swallowed heavily. "It was like I… Professor, will you please just tell me what's happening?"

"Everart," Dumbledore said firmly, ignoring Harry completely. He moved over to the painting on the wall and spoke to the man inside. "Arthur is on guard duty tonight; make sure he is found by the right people."

"Sir…"

"Fineas!" He continued, walking to the other side of the room to speak to another man in a painting. "You must go to your portrait at Grimwald Place, tell them that Arthur Weasley is gravely injured and his children will be arriving there soon by Portkey."

Harry's breathing began to accelerate, and I felt my eyes lose focus for a moment as a lightheadedness settled over me; my stomach began to turn and goose bumps broke out over my skin; I looked at Harry wearily, unsure of why I was reacting so strangely.

"They got him, Albus." The frail voice of the man in the first portrait announced. "It was close but they'll think he'll make it. Once more the Dark Lord failed to acquire it."

"Oh, thank goodness."

The moment I saw Harry's neck jerk, my legs gave out and I slumped backwards, landing in McGonagall's arms.

"Look at me!" Harry screamed.

The room fell silent as my world spun, my stomach heaved and I squeezed my eyes shut, pulling shallow breaths in through my clenched teeth. McGonagall whispered soothingly in my ears, but I barely heard her through the high pitched ringing. It felt as though I had dunked my head underwater; everything sounded muffled and far away. My body trembled in her arms, unable to move.

"What's happening to me?" I heard Harry ask in a scared tone. I wanted to open my eyes and sooth him, but I couldn't. I had no control over my body at the moment.

"You wished to see me, headmaster?" Snape's voice asked softly and I flinched at the new sound. I hadn't heard his footsteps as he entered the room.

"Oh, Severus." Dumbledore muttered in relief. "I'm afraid we can't wait, not even 'til the morning; otherwise… we will be vulnerable."

The only sound that followed was two sets of footsteps leaving the room and Harry's shaky breaths fading away. Professor McGonagall called for Fred and George to help her and together the three of them lowered me to the floor, watching as my eyes fluttered open.

"Are you okay, Amber?" McGonagall asked as Dumbledore left the room for a few moments.

"Yes, I think I'm alright." I answered tiredly. "I'm… not entirely sure what happened, though."

"Can you move?" She asked, concerned.

"Not right now," I replied in a soft voice. "I just want to lay still."

"Mr. Diggory is on his way here," Dumbledore said, entering the room again. "It would be best if you avoided moving as much as possible."

I turned my head so that I could look at him and raised an eyebrow.

He watched me for a few moments before ushering the Weasley's out of the room, taking them to the Portkey that would transport them to the Order.

"Professor McGonagall, would you join me, please?" He asked just before he followed the others. McGonagall stood without a word and left with the headmaster.

I sighed and turned onto my side, letting the fire behind me warm my back; my stomach was twisting faintly and the goose bumps had yet to leave my skin, but I was feeling a little better.

"Amber?"

I looked towards the door to see Cedric standing under the arch. His expression was pained and I used all the energy I had left to prop myself up on my elbows; he exhaled sharply and quickly crossed the room, dropping to his knees beside me and gathering me in his arms as gently as he could.

"What happened?" He asked softly, stroking my back with his fingers.

He listened as I told him about Harry's dream and how it had burnt me, how I had reacted when his neck jerked just before he yelled at Dumbledore and how I had no clue about why I had reacted as such.

When I had finished talking, he shifted so that my back was pressed against his chest, my head resting on his shoulder as I sat between his legs. We faced the fire and sat in silence as my body began to relax.

"This reminds me of the night Barty Crouch was killed." Cedric mumbled and I laid my hand over the one he had pressed against my stomach. "You looked so vulnerable there in that hospital bed… so scared…"

I flinched and nuzzled into his neck. "You were with me all night."

"I was," he replied tenderly.

We fell silent again, listening to the crackling of the fire as my thoughts swirled about in my head.

I had a feeling that my reaction was caused by the strong link that had formed between Harry and me; but my reaction in this office not too long ago was the most confusing thing. Was there Dark Magic involved in that small movement? Why had it rendered me completely immobile?

"You're over thinking it," Cedric mumbled, pressing his lips against my hair.

"I just don't understand why I reacted like that." I replied. "It's never happened before."

"Maybe that's it."

"Hmm?" I hummed against his skin, feeling his arm tighten around me. All of the lingering effects from earlier had completely disappeared. I felt nothing but content right now. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you said that you've never had that reaction before. Maybe, because it was so new it shocked your system and lasted longer than it should have. Your body may have needed time to adjust; you're still learning, after all."

"That's very likely," I answered. "But why did I react like _that_, and to Harry?"

I felt him shrug behind me. "Not all your reactions are going to be the same, sweetheart. You've only ever experienced the pain; who's to say there aren't other reactions you can have?"

I nodded, realizing he was right.

"What do you think is keeping the others?" I asked, referring to Dumbledore and McGonagall's extended absence.

"I'm sure they have a few things to sort out with the Order," he replied. "That, and they're probably giving us some privacy and you some time to relax."

I smiled a little, tipping my head back so that I could kiss his neck. "I'm sure I'll go through something like this many more times this year."

"As much as I wish that wasn't true, I'm sure it is." Cedric whispered, twirling one of my ringlets around his finger. "But we're all heading home for Christmas in a few days, so at least you'll be able to get away from all the stress here."

I whimpered and shifted closer to him. "I don't want to be without you, even if it's only for a little while."

He sighed and squeezed me gently. "I know, sweetheart. I don't either, but it's not long at all; you'll be able to see Lupin and Sirius and your parents, I'm sure you'll have a great time."

"But I'll miss you," I whispered.

"I'll miss you, too." He replied softly. "I hate being away from you."

"I love you," I breathed, relaxing against him.

He hummed against my hair and I could feel his lips pull up into a smile. "I love you, too."

Dumbledore and McGonagall came back a while later, and the four of us discussed my reactions and the headmaster let me know that he would cancel my last training session before Christmas. He apologized before asking me to check for any threats around the school.

"You don't have to apologize, Professor. This is what I'm here for," I smiled and leaned my head back on Cedric's shoulder, letting my world become tinted with blue. Bella was already swooping around the school; she knew that I would be asked to patrol, I smiled and felt Cedric kiss the tip of my nose.

* * *

Umbridge wasn't happy to hear that I was unable to train later in the week, but Dumbledore had simply refused to let me be put through that. He knew of all the injuries I had received from it; Umbridge had requested two training sessions the first week back to make up for the loss, but Dumbledore had quickly shot that request down; the Professor had left in a huff.

"How are your bruises healing?" He asked once she left, motioning to an almost faded bruise on my leg.

I smiled, shrugging. "I'm getting used to it now," I answered. "The spells are more advanced and the sessions are more intense, but I feel as though I'm getting stronger; I'm beginning to learn how she works."

"Remember, if she pushes you too far I'll cancel the lessons then and there." He reminded me firmly.

"I understand, Professor," I replied. "Thank you."

Harry was still pretty shaken up from his dream, and was worried about having to see Mr. Weasley; he wasn't sure how he would be received, having been the one to witness his attack.

"Harry, in witnessing that, you saved his life." I soothed him the night before we left for the Christmas holidays. "They're nothing but grateful to you for that."

"But the way it happened…" he muttered, torn. "The way I _saw _it…"

"The way _we _saw it," I reminded him. "You're not alone in this, Harry."

Sighing softly, he wrapped me in his arms to sooth his panic.

The following morning, Cedric had eaten breakfast with us, keeping his arm firmly around my waist as he ate with one hand. I was impressed with his skill to do so.

When it was time to leave, we walked to the train hand in hand, not wanting to let go. I knew we would be picked up by a member of the Order as soon as we got to the station, so it was very likely that I wouldn't see Cedric after this.

Hearing my sniffles, Cedric curled his fingers under my chin and tilted my head back, breathing my name when he saw the tears pooling in my eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart," he sighed. "Come here."

I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face against his shoulder. He encased me in his arms, pressing his lips against my temple as I sniffed and whimpered.

"I don't want to go," I whispered.

I had always hated goodbyes; I knew we wouldn't be apart for long, but it still tore at my chest and made my heart ache. There was always a part of me missing when he wasn't around.

"It's only a few weeks," he soothed me, but I could hear his voice shaking. "And we can write to each other. It's not all that bad…" A tiny sob escaped me and he trembled. "Hey…"

Leaning back, I met his eyes and felt a new wave of tears roll down my cheeks. Cedric exhaled softly and raised a hand to brush my tears away; leaning down, he pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes, relaxing.

"I love you," he whispered.

I sniffed, hiccupping slightly as I stifled another sob. "I love you."

Threading my fingers through his hair, I stretched up on my toes and pressed my lips to his; he pulled me tight against his body and parted his lips under mine, our tongues touching and dancing together as we attempted to become one entity.

All too soon, the train blew its whistle, signaling for us to get on; I pulled away and took a shuddering breath before his lips met mine again. We kissed softly for a few moments before pulling away and pressing our foreheads together again; Cedric kissed the tip of my nose and I smiled through my tears, stretching up to kiss him again before we stepped away.

We stretched our arms out as we stepped away, our fingers brushing softly just before we moved out of reach. It felt like a corny thing to do, so dramatic, but it was how I was feeling. I wanted to remember how he felt against my skin, even if it made me look funny. We waved to each other as we stepped onto the train and I walked down the hall to my cabin, wiping away the last of my tears.

I missed him already.

* * *

**Amber: -Sniffs-  
Cedric: Aww..  
BWA: Wait a minute, you're supposed to be separated for the holidays. Why are you both in the same room?  
Amber: -Gives BWA puppy dog eyes-  
BWA: Okay, fine. You can stay.  
Amber: -Smiles-  
Harry: -Walking around under his invisibility cloak- This is kind of like wearing a wedding veil, I bet I'd make a pretty bride. Nothing gaudy, maybe Vera Wang.  
Emmett: -Snorts- He said wang.  
BWA: Oh dear.  
Harry: Dum dum de dum. -Continues humming-  
Ron: I worry about him sometimes...  
Cedric: Hey, remember when they showed us the Goblet of Fire for the first time?  
Hermione: Yeah.  
Cedric: The first thing I thought was "Behold, HAGRID'S SIPPY CUP!"  
Amber: -Starts laughing-  
BWA: Okay, that's about enough from us. -Smiles- Thanks to everyone who's reading and reviewing!  
Emmett: Reviews are love!  
Cedric: And we love you!  
Amber: So leave us some love?  
Hermione: And don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Harry: -Falls over and gets tangled in the cloak-  
Emmett: Do you think he can get out of that by himself?  
Harry: Of course, I'm the most powerful wizard of our age... -sobs- will someone please help me?  
**


	10. Promise What You Will

**Emmett: Did you know that there's a dirty limerick about Voldemort?  
BWA: Really?  
Emmett: Yep. -Clears throat- There once was a wizard named Voldemort, who partied all night in Hyannis Port. He awoke feeling sore, pulled out twelve dollars more and said, "Madam -"  
Everyone: -Yells for Emmett to stop-  
Emmett: What?  
BWA: Please don't finish that. For the sake of everyone's sanity, don't finish that.  
Emmett: -Grins-  
BWA: Um, we're back, by the way?  
Amber: -Laughs- Hey there.  
Cedric: I really want to know what the end of that limerick was..  
Emmett: -Goes to speak-  
BWA: Shut up! Shut up and let them read!  
Emmett: -Laughs-**

**Disclaimer: Nope, it's not mine. And I will continue to admit to that so long as Emmett never ever finishes that limerick. -Shudders- **

_**

* * *

**_

**_Chapter Ten  
Promise What You Will _**

To my surprise, my dad was the person waiting for us at the station. The others shared a laugh as I sprinted to him, leaping into his arms and squealing when he spun me around; it felt good to be with my family again.

When he set me down he held me at arms length and looked me over, his brows furrowing slightly over his bright blue eyes as he spotted a few fading bruises on my skin. The Order knew about my training sessions, but I imagined that it would be rather unpleasant to see the extent of my injuries from it.

My dad looked up when the others reached us, smiling his bright smile and giving out hugs and claps on the back. People were used to my dad's bear hugs now, but the strength he had sometimes rendered you breathless, especially when he squeezed too hard around the ribcage.

Walking through the snow, we told my father about everything we had gotten up to, saving Dumbledore's Army for safer quarters. Fred and George got very animated when they spoke of their Weasley & Weasley products; dad thought it was hilarious. My father was a real kid at heart and got along well with just about anyone; it made me smile.

We all rushed inside when we reached HQ, wanting to get out of the chill; my cheeks and the tip of my nose were flushed from the cold. I could hear voices coming from the kitchen, so after hanging up my jacket, I jogged down the hall and into the kitchen, smiling when I saw my mum and Mrs. Weasley making sandwiches.

Mum looked up and smiled brightly when she saw me, putting her knife down to wrap me in her arms. I flinched a little when she pressed too hard on one of the bruises that were still fading on my back. "Are you okay?" She whispered in my ear.

"Well… I'm better than I was last week," I replied.

She pulled away with a small frown set on her lips, but she shrugged and winked at me. "We'll talk about it later, but right now… hungry?"

I huffed, laughing. "You bet."

Mum, dad and Mrs. Weasley were the only ones that joined us for lunch; I wasn't sure where the others were, but I knew they would turn up eventually. Nonetheless, we passed the time with more stories, rambling on and on about Dumbledore's Army.

When the others returned, we repeated our DA stories and relished in the pride that shone in everyone's eyes. Mr. Weasley was at St. Mungos, recovering from his injuries; he was said to return to HQ in a few days time.

Later that night, when the others had left for bed, the members of the Order sat at the table around me. I shifted a little, feeling a bruise on my hip throb with the movement, that one was taking its time disappearing.

"Your mother mentioned that you had gained a few bumps and bruises from your training sessions with Professor Umbridge, is that right?" Lupin asked, his eyes filled with concern.

"Yes, that's right." I answered, feeling mum twisting one of my ringlets around her finger. I launched into my stories, telling them of the sessions I'd had and the injuries I had received from each; by the time I was done, dad's hands were clenched into fists on the table. I flinched and rested my hand on his arm, smiling when he turned to look at me.

"They can't be allowed to do that," dad said through his teeth. "Not to my little girl…"

I sighed. "You have no idea how many times I've had this conversation."

They were silent.

"Look, I've said this time and time again, I should be the least of everyone's worries right now. If my training sessions are distracting Umbridge from finding out about Dumbledore's Army, then I'm going to keep doing them. My friends are learning and growing; they _need _this opportunity if we're going to be fighting soon."

Sirius smiled from his spot next to Lupin. "You're one in a million, Amber."

Tonks grinned.

We conversed for a while longer; Sirius was eager to see the DA meetings from my point of view. After that, they asked a few more questions about my training sessions and looked over some of my injuries before they let me go to bed.

Mum kissed my forehead and dad pinched my nose; I could tell they were worried about me, but they knew I would be alright. I turned around and blew them a kiss, seeing mum smile and lean her head against dad's shoulder before I jogged up the stairs.

Hermione and Ginny were fast asleep by the time I reached the room we shared, so I did my best to be as quiet as possible, pausing when I saw a folded piece of parchment on my pillow. The window was open and I could hear Bella's quiet hoots from outside; she was hunting for her dinner. I hadn't realized she'd been let out, let alone brought me a letter.

I changed into my pajamas before sitting down on the bed and taking the letter in my hands, unfolding it carefully and smiling when I saw Cedric's familiar handwriting.

_Amber,  
__I'm so sorry I wasn't able to sit with you on the train, Ernie all but forced me to sit wit him the day before. I'm glad I did, though. He and Hannah say hello.  
__I hope you weren't too restless during the trip, not one second has gone by where you haven't been in my thoughts.  
__How are your parents? Give them my best.  
__I wish I was there with you, sweetheart, I really do. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to spend Christmas with you.  
__Nonetheless, I will see you when we start back at school.  
__Enjoy your time at the Order, I look forward to hearing from you.  
__I love you, Amber. More than anything.  
__Forever yours,  
__Cedric._

I smiled, wiping away my tears with my fingertips as I put Cedric's letter in my lap. I would write to him first thing in the morning; pressing the parchment to my nose, I inhaled deeply, catching his scent on the surface. With a smile on my face and Cedric in my thoughts, I wriggled under the covers and fell into a peaceful sleep, the moonlight shining in through the open window.

* * *

"Here we go… Daddy's back!" Mrs. Weasley barely finished her sentence before the tiny Santa that had been flying around the room shot over her head, making her duck out of the way.

I smiled at Mr. Weasley as he settled in at the table; he was still covered in angry looking bruises and cuts, but was able to come home. He had been released from hospital just this morning, just in time for Christmas.

I had woken up to the sound of Bella chirping happily, perched on my stomach, motioning to the letter she had dropped in front of her. It was a letter from Cedric; he wished me a Merry Christmas and asked me to pass on the greeting to everyone at HQ, which I did.

"Sit down, everybody, sit down."

Shaking my head with a smile, I sat down beside Ginny, scooting closer to the table so that I could lean against the wood.

"Now, presents!" She continued, handing each of us a soft, wrapped package. I watched as she held two packages in front of Fred and George, swapping them back and forth before giving up and just handing them over.

"And a nice big box for Ron," Mr. Weasley said with a smile.

"_Big box _for Ron," Mrs. Weasley agreed in a tone that was so ridiculous it made me giggle.

Once I had pulled the wrapping away from my gift, I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Mrs. Weasley had knitted me a pair of soft looking gloves, but it wasn't the object that had caused my amusement, it was the colours she used. Green, blue and silver danced and weaved together in delicate patterns on my gloves.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," I said, smiling at her.

"Thought you would enjoy the colours, dear," she replied, laughing.

We giggled and teased our way through the opening of our presents. Ron's face when he opened his gift was priceless; he knew we'd torment him about it later.

"Alright, everyone, let's clear this away." Mrs. Weasley instructed and we all worked to get the wrapping paper off the table; Hermione scrunched hers up into a ball and threw it at me, laughing when it bounced off my forehead.

"Oh, Harry! There you are," I turned to see Harry standing at the other end of the table, Sirius leaning against the door frame not too far behind him. I smiled before taking the goblet of juice George offered me. I heard Mrs. Weasley say the traditional Christmas greeting before handing him a present and rushing back to her husband, handing him a drink.

"A toast," Mr. Weasley spoke up. "A Christmas toast, to Mr. Harry Potter, without whom I would not be here." He raised his glass. "Harry."

"Harry," we echoed.

"Harry," Sirius added a few seconds later.

I felt my brows furrow at the uncomfortable, nervous expression on Harry's face. He met my eyes and I immediately understood how he was feeling; no one but us knew how the dream had gone, how he had been the one to attack Mr. Weasley, not the one preventing it.

Mum and dad emerged from another room a little while later and the first thing I noticed was the small wrapped box in dad's hand.

I raised an eyebrow. "You didn't have to get me anything."

Mum laughed. "You're our daughter, it's kind of expected, sweetheart." She put a hand on my cheek and kissed my forehead. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," I replied happily, watching as dad fiddled with the box in his hand.

Seeing the curiosity on my face, dad laughed and held the small box out to me, balancing it on his palm. "Merry Christmas, baby."

I smiled at him, taking the gift from him and carefully unwrapping it. The paper fell away to reveal a black leather box underneath and I felt my brows furrow in confusion. What could possibly be in there?

"Go on," mum urged. "Open it."

Curious, I pulled the lid back and looked inside. Nestled in the soft fabric inside, a small glass orb reflected the different points of light in the room. I bit down on my bottom lip, looking up at my parents who were smiling brightly at me.

"Take it out," dad encouraged.

I pulled the orb from its place in the box with careful fingers, placing the box on the table and looking at the sphere that sat in the palm of my hand. I opened my mouth to speak, but froze when I felt the orb move in my hand.

Now completely focused on the object in my hand, I watched it in total silence. To my shock, the shape began to change; the best word I have to explain would be to say that the orb… _unfolded _into a completely different shape. It seemed to come alive for a moment, molding into the body of a creature I knew all too well.

In my hand rested a glass Phoenix; wings outstretched and head held high.

It was beautiful.

"What do you think?" Mum asked quietly, watching me. "It seemed perfect for you."

I looked up at my parents with tears in my eyes; dad sighed and pulled me into his arms, rocking me gently as I sniffled against his chest.

"It's wonderful," I hiccupped, overwhelmed. "Absolutely perfect. Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby." Dad replied, stroking my hair.

I felt mum's hand come to rest on my back as she cuddled up against dad's side, the two of them cuddling me as I silently thanked them for the simple gift that meant more to me than they realized.

* * *

The Christmas holidays passed quickly, and it seemed as though only a day had passed before we were packing our things to leave for Hogwarts again. I had written to Cedric as soon as I had woken up, telling Bella to fly straight to school once she had given Cedric the letter.

I chatted happily with my parents as I got the last of my things together, telling them to take my gift home for safe keeping. The two of them would accompany us to the train station, for the others had things they needed to do.

Sirius found me walking down the staircase not too long before we were set to leave. I smiled at him when he caught my eye, quickly making my way down the stairs.

"Ready to go?" He asked politely as we walked down a series of hallways.

I ran a hand through my hair. "Yeah, all ready."

We fell silent for a few moments; there was something he wanted to say and I had a question to ask, but we weren't sure how to bring it up. Eventually, I gave in and spoke first.

"Sirius… do you think… things will be worse when we go back?" He looked down at me and I struggled to elaborate. "I mean… with Professor Umbridge being the way she is and the news about Voldemort… Will we be okay?"

His face softened and he stopped, turning towards me so that he could put his hands on my shoulders. "I can understand your concerns, and I'd be lying if I said that things would be easy… But you have all accomplished so much. Dumbledore's Army, that's such a feat… And you with your training sessions. They may seem like torture sessions but you're stronger. You _look _stronger, and you're distracting her from finding the DA." He smiled at me. "Which is one of the reasons why I'd like to thank you."

"Thank me?" I asked, confused.

"Yes," he replied. "You're keeping these kids strong, Amber. You hide your pain to protect them… and you're so young, you shouldn't have to do it, but you do."

"Harry's suffered through more than me, he's the one we should be thanking. He's teaching us all this, he's reliving some of his worst nightmares for us."

"That may be true, but you're protecting him." Sirius countered. "You're giving him the strength to do that, he trusts you."

I exhaled heavily, not sure what to say.

"I need you to promise me something, Amber."

"Anything," I answered quickly.

He looked down at his feet for a moment before meeting my eyes again. "I need you to protect Harry, more so than you already are, and not in the way you're doing it now."

I felt my brows furrow in my confusion. "I don't understand…"

"What's coming is not going to be pleasant, and it won't pass quickly. It's going to be hell for all involved, particularly Harry and you. But, through everything, I need you to protect him. Whatever happens to me, make sure you protect him."

My stomach clenched when I realized what he meant. He wanted me to be not only physical support for Harry, but emotional support as well. If he were to lose anyone else, Sirius wanted me to be there for him; Harry would need comfort and reassurance, he would need someone to trust, and Sirius wanted that to be me.

"He has Ron and Hermione, too…" I whispered.

"I know that," he answered quietly. "But you _truly _understand what he's going though. You shared his pain last year; you know how horrible this can be." He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Just promise me that no matter what happens now, you'll keep him safe, you'll be there for him when he needs you."

I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting back the tears I knew would come if I thought about this anymore right now. Sirius needed this for Harry, needed this for his godson. Sirius was the only family Harry had left, and that family was asking me to protect him if something were to happen.

"I promise."

He exhaled in a soft rush, pulling me close and wrapping his arms around me for a few moments before stepping back as two familiar voices reached us.

"I can't understand why you don't want to wear it, Ronald."

"Because I look like a bloody idiot, that's why."

"No more than usual."

I looked over to the staircase, smiling slightly when Ron and Hermione walked into view, bickering about the jumper Mrs. Weasley had given her son.

"Where's Harry?" Sirius asked when they spotted us.

Hermione looked back over her shoulder, surprised to see that Harry wasn't with them. "Oh, um… he must still be upstairs."

Sirius nodded politely, patting my shoulder before making his way up the stairs. Ron, Hermione and I walked down the hall into the dining room; Lupin and Tonks were there so it wasn't difficult at all to start a happy conversation. Not too long into it, Mrs. Weasley came in and told us that it was time to head off; Hermione quickly made her way back to the staircase to let Harry know.

Gathered at the front door, we were hugged and wished well by our friends and family. Lupin reminded me to write if I found myself having trouble and Mrs. Weasley kissed both my cheeks before ushering me out the door to where my parents were waiting.

"Give Cedric our love," mum said into my hair as I hugged her goodbye at the platform.

"I will," I replied, pulling away and stretching up to kiss her cheek.

"Won't be long until we see you again, baby." Dad reminded me with a smile. "Take care of yourself until then, okay?"

I nodded and stepped into his warm embrace.

The whistle sounded and I stepped back, smiling brightly at my parents. "I love you both."

"We love you, too, sweetie." Mum replied, brushing her fingers down my cheek before gesturing for me to get on the train. "Write soon!"

Stepping onto the train, I waved goodbye before making my way down to the cabin where my friends were sitting.

The four of us chatted happily for the duration of the trip; Ron fell asleep at one point and Hermione and I tried to get Harry to put something up his nose. We saw some of our friends when we got to the station; I stretched up on my toes to try and see Cedric over the crowd, but it was getting dark, I didn't have much luck.

I did, however, find him when we got to the castle. He was waiting for me out in the main courtyard; the moment I saw him I sprinted across the space between us, leaping into his arms and giggling into his neck before he leaned back and kissed me.

"Miss me?" He mumbled against my lips.

"You better believe it."

* * *

**Emmett: Aww.  
BWA: -Smiles-  
Hermione: I like sweaters.  
Amber: -Snorts-  
Cedric: I'm a ninja.  
Emmett: No you're not.  
Cedric: Did you see me do that?  
Emmett: Do what?  
Cedric: Exactly. -Grins-  
BWA: -Shakes head- Why do I put up with you?  
Emmett: I have no idea.  
BWA: Okay, moving on. Updates are going to be a little wonky for a few weeks. I'm moving house next weekend so it might be a little while before we have the internet up and running again. Please stick with me, though. As soon as I have access to the internet again I'll update. I promise.  
Amber: Reviews are love!  
Emmett: And we love you!  
Cedric: So leave us some love?  
Harry: And don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Emmett: WHOA! Who is that sexy beast? Oh... never mind. I just caught my reflection in the mirror.  
BWA: -Facepalm- **


	11. They Will Not Control Us

**BWA: -Waves erratically- We're back! It's great to see you again!  
Emmett: I'd tell you how excited I am but I'd prefer to show you... THROUGH INTERPRETIVE DANCE!  
Amber: -Raises eyebrow-  
BWA: Um.. anyway.. sorry it took me so long to get back to updating. For those of you wondering, the move went really well. Ed and I documented it over on the blog, so head over there and check out the crazy photos we took!  
Harry: -To himself- I wish Pokemon battle music played whenever I run into someone I don't like.  
Cedric: -Laughs- Can you imagine that? Harry and Malfoy standing on opposite sides of a hallway with music going "dun dun dun dun duuuu BA DA DAAAA!"  
BWA: -Facepalm- Okay, time to shut up and let the normal people read, okay?  
Amber: -Steals Harry's wand-  
Harry: Can I have it back?  
Amber: Say please.  
Harry: Please?  
Amber: No.  
Harry: -Whines-**

**Disclaimer: I know what's mine, J.K knows what's hers. Are we done here? **

_**

* * *

**_

**_Chapter Eleven  
They Will Not Control Us _**

Our routines picked up where they left off once we got back to school; training, DA, homework, training, DA, homework. Well, for the others it was just DA and homework.

Professor Umbridge requested a session with me the second day back, claiming that time had been wasted over the short holiday and I needed to make up for it. The session went for twice as long; I'd almost forgotten how much my body ached afterwards.

But eventually, something broke our consistent routine a few weeks into the new semester.

Hagrid was back.

I was with Cedric at the time, catching up after a long day of lessons; he had just finished inspecting a bruise on my jaw when Hermione popped up out of nowhere, practically vibrating in her excitement.

"Calm down, turbo." I joked. "What's up?"

"Hagrid's back," she explained in a rush. "We're heading down to see him."

"Oh!" I gasped, not expecting that. It had been a long time since we'd heard about Hagrid.

"Go on, sweetheart." Cedric encouraged.

I turned and stretched up on my toes, kissing him quickly before breaking into a run across the courtyard and down the nearby corridor.

We found Harry and Ron at the top of the hill that led to Hagrid's. We didn't even stop to say hello, we just kept running. I laughed through my labored breaths as we stumbled and tripped our way down the hill, too excited to be careful.

Unfortunately, when we reached Hagrid's little house, the voice that echoed from inside was not the one we were expecting.

"I will say this one last time; I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been."

Umbridge.

My eyes narrowed as Harry grabbed my arm, pulling me over to the window on the side wall. We huddled together and peeked inside; the sight was almost comical. Hagrid completely dwarfed Professor Umbridge, yet Hagrid looked a little frightened of the woman.

"I told you, I've been away for me health."

I sighed at the familiar sound of Hagrid's voice, but crouched out of sight when Umbridge leaned to the side to peer out the window.

"Your health?" She repeated, sounding slightly distracted.

"Yeah," he replied. "Bit of fresh air, you know…"

"Oh yes," Umbridge shot back, her tone coated in sarcasm. She was focused on Hagrid again. "As Game Keeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by." I didn't look through the window, but I heard Hagrid shift his weight from one foot to another. "If I were you, I wouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother unpacking at all."

"Vile woman," I hissed, stepping away from the window.

Harry looked down at me, seeing my unease that came from being around Delores Umbridge. If it wasn't necessary, I rarely bothered.

No sound came from indoors after that, so the four of us moved to the other side of the house. Harry tugged Ron out of the way when the door opened and Umbridge stepped outside. I heard her sniff a few times before the sound of something being sprayed into the air reached my ears.

As soon as she was out of sight, we shot over to the door, knocking quickly. As Hagrid let us in, the scent of Umbridge's perfume hit my nose and I whimpered in disgust, scrunching my nose up.

Gross.

Fang barked and whined when we walked past him, and I crouched down for a moment, scratching him behind the ears. It had been a while since I had seen the lovable mutt, but even longer since I had seen his owner. Opening my mouth to peak, I looked up and caught sight of Hagrid's face; the words choked off in my throat.

"Hagrid… what _happened _to you?"

He waved a hand dismissively, gesturing for me to sit down next to the others. He quickly moved to pour us some tea, asking how we had been. We told him about Dumbledore's Army and my training sessions, the latter of which he didn't like. He commented on the angry bruise that had blossomed on my jaw a few days prior, but I avoided explaining, referring to his injuries instead.

Sighing, he sat down in front of us, reaching behind him to grab a steak from the bench. Fang watched longingly as Hagrid pressed the steak to his black eye. He held it there for barely a moment, dropping his hands into his lap and leaning forward.

"This is top secret, right?" We were silent and after a few seconds he spoke again. "Dumbledore sent me to parley with the Giants."

"_Giants_?" Hermione gasped.

"Shh!"

When Hermione spoke again, her voice was much softer. "You found them?"

"Well, they're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest." He replied. "They're so big, see."

My lips twitched up into a small smile.

"I tried to convince them to _join the cause_. But I wasn't the only one that was trying to win them over."

"Death Eaters…" Ron said quietly.

"Yes," Hagrid replied angrily. "Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who."

"And… did they?" Harry asked.

"I gave 'em Dumbledore's message, s'pose some of them remember he was… friendly to them. I suppose…" He trailed off, shrugging.

"And they did this to you?" Harry asked, waving weakly at his cuts and bruises.

Fang grumbled as Hagrid lifted the steak back to his eye. "Not exactly, no." Fang barked a few times before Hagrid gave in. "Go on, you have it then, you dopey dog."

I looked down at the table, unable to keep from smiling as Fang munched away on the raw steak.

A low breeze got in through the bottom of the door, rolling over my feet and my smile disappeared as quickly as it came. I flinched, leaning away when thunder began to rumble outside.

Hagrid stood, moving to gaze out the window at the darkening sky. We followed, gathering behind him.

"It's changin' out there," he said in a low voice. "Just like last time." The wind whistled in through the cracks in the window and I felt my top lip curl back from my teeth. "There's a storm comin', Harry, and we'd all best be ready when she does."

* * *

I tossed and turned in my sleep one night not too long after that, not dreaming of anything, but finding myself terrified. Chills swept over my body and thunder cracked in my ears, a particularly loud one waking me from my light sleep.

Gasping, I shot up in my bed as lightening lit up the dorm. My chest was heaving and I could feel beads of sweat running over my temples. My stomach twisted and my muscles burned…

Something had just gone very wrong.

The news spread throughout the wizarding world in record time; the Daily Prophet had articles out the next day, news reports were being aired wherever they could, and Cornelius Fudge was doing everything in his power to blame it on someone else.

"_We have confirmed that ten high security prisoners in the early hours of yesterday evening did escape; and of course, the muggle prime minister has been alerted to the danger. We strongly suspect that the breakout was engineered by a man with personal experience in escaping from Azkaban: notorious mass murderer, Sirius Black. Cousin of escapee, Bellatrix Le Strange."_

Not only was the wizarding world on high alert, but I was, too. The moment Dumbledore heard about the breakout, he asked me to resume the security checks I had done during the Triwizard Tournament. He felt the need to tell me that he felt horrible for asking this of me, but I quickly waved it off.

Cedric walked with me that first night, his hand tightly clasped around my own as Bella flew loops around the school. There was no danger yet, but there would be.

I tried to avoid reading the newspaper at all costs. I didn't want to see all the bold headings and horror stories they held.

"Dumbledore warned Fudge this could happen," Hermione whispered as she and the boys walked into the Great Hall. I raised my head from where it had been resting on the table; I had been incredibly thorough in my checks the night before, since it was my first one in a while, and hadn't gone to bed until late. "He's going to get us all killed because he can't face the truth."

"Harry."

The three of them stopped walking to turn and face Seamus; I stood up and walked over to them, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder, just in case.

"I uh…" Seamus hesitated, trying to find the words he needed. "I wanted to apologize. Now even me mum says the Prophet's version of things don't add up." He paused again. "So, what I'm really trying to say is that… I believe you."

I exhaled in relief, feeling some of the tension leave Harry's body.

Eager to be on the right side, Seamus quickly signed up to join Dumbledore's Army. We had scheduled a meeting for the following day; Hermione told Seamus everything he needed to know when we got back to the common room.

"Cedric?"

"Amber?"

I smiled, turning my head to kiss his jaw as we sat under our tree the following day. We had a break between classes and wasted no time going somewhere to relax. Cedric had his back pressed against the tree trunk and I sat between his legs, my back against his chest.

"What do you want to do once you graduate?"

He was silent for a moment, twirling one of my ringlets around his finger. "I'm not sure; I've been thinking about it for months, but I can't decide on anything. I'm sure my father wants me to get a job at the Ministry with him, but I refuse to do so after what they've put you through."

"You could join the Order…" I mumbled. "Although the idea of you fighting without me is terrifying."

"Why is that, sweet thing?" he asked, nuzzling my cheek.

I shrugged, trying to word my answer in a way he would understand. "I guess… not being there… not being able to protect you if you need it… I can't go through that. It's bad enough that you won't be here next year, what if you go out somewhere and I lose you? I can't deal with that…"

"Shh, sweetheart. It's okay; I'm not going anywhere just yet." He soothed me, hearing the hysterical edge in my voice. I had thought about this way too much. "Nothing is going to take me away from you, I promise."

I exhaled heavily and relaxed against him, pressing my forehead against his neck. "Do you have to work once you graduate?"

"Not right away," he replied. "Besides, now probably isn't the best time to get a job, anyway. I might look into helping the Order, though. I won't go out and fight, I refuse to do anything that upsets you." He wrapped his arms around my stomach and pulled me tight against his body. "You're the most important thing in my world, Amber. You are my first priority, okay? I need you to understand that; I will always put you first. The last thing you need right now is added fear and anxiety. So, for the moment, I'm not going to look into work once I graduate; I'll stay close to the Order but I won't fight unless you're by my side."

I nodded, hugging myself to him. "Stay close and stay safe." I whispered in his ear.

"I promise, sweetheart." He soothed. "I love you."

At his words, my stress and worry was momentarily forgotten. "I love you."

* * *

"Make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember. Allow it to fill you up." Harry weaved through the groups of people practicing our newest spell: the Patronus charm. "Keep trying, Seamus."

"Amber, look." Cedric said softly, his lips brushing against my ear as he bent towards me. I followed his instruction and looked in the direction he was motioning to. George had attempted the charm, his face lighting up when the white light shot out from the tip of his wand.

"A full body Patronus is the most difficult to produce," Harry continued. "But shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents." I watched as Ginny attempted the charm, her expression mirroring George's as her Patronus appeared; a beautiful stallion that reared up on its hind legs and whinnied so loud my ears rang.

"Fantastic, Ginny!" Harry shouted proudly, overjoyed. "Remember, your Patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused. So focus! Luna…" I smiled when he brought Luna Lovegood out of her daydream.

I let my eyes skim over the faces of my friends; Hermione's Patronus shot out from the tip of her wand in the form of an Otter that whizzed in circles around her.

"This is really advanced stuff, guys. You're doing so well!"

I couldn't help but laugh when Ron's Patronus emerged in the shape of a Fox Terrier that raced around the room and knocked Neville off his feet. Luna eventually got it right and her Patronus appeared in the shape of a rabbit that hopped rapidly over everyone's heads.

"Ready, Amber?" Harry asked, walking over to Cedric and me.

"I guess so," I muttered nervously; I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get this right, but it was worth a shot.

Cedric squeezed my hand before letting go so that I could concentrate. "You can do it, sweetheart." He whispered in my ear, kissing my temple as he stood up straighter.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and dug deep to find the happiest memory I had. Images flickered through my thoughts and I struggled to choose. Practicing my sight with Buckbeak, meeting Harry, Ron and Hermione for the first time on the Hogwarts Express, winning the House Cup at the end of our first year, watching Hermione punch Malfoy in the nose, meeting Cedric, hearing Cedric say he loved me, dancing at the Yule Ball…

There were so many and I knew that I had missed more than I had thought of. So, I let the images continue to run through my thoughts and simply concentrated on how they made me feel. My heart began to race and my body felt light with the happiness that was blossoming inside me.

I raised my right arm, holding my hand not too far from my face. Opening my eyes, I took another deep breath and whispered the incantation. "Expecto Patronum…"

To my absolute shock, wisps of white light emerged from my fingertips, twisting and weaving through the air, taking shape when I got over my surprise and made myself focus. The white light quickly became the shape of a large bird, a Phoenix; I felt my lips pull up into a smile at that realization. The bird had a faint silver tinge to it and I gasped when someone pointed out the splash of colour on its side. On the end of its wing lay a feather with two swirling colours on the end, baby blue and emerald green.

My Patronus was the creature that had given me my powers.

The Silver Phoenix.

The Phoenix flew in circles around Cedric and me, almost as if it were waiting for something. I heard Cedric take a deep breath before muttering the incantation, his body going rigid for half a second as the same wispy light shot out from the end of his wand, taking the shape of a large wolf. The Phoenix cried out in joy, swooping down to fly alongside the Wolf as it ran. Cedric and I leaned against each other, managing to think around the intensity of our focus. Pride welled up in my chest when I realized that our Patronus' were meant to be cast together; we were linked because of my legend. I got half of my animalistic instincts from a wolf, which turned out to be Cedric's Patronus.

"Amazing…" Cedric whispered, watching as the Wolf and the Phoenix weaved through the crowds, the strong howl of the Wolf bouncing off the walls.

Unfortunately our joy was short-lived.

The crystal chandelier above our heads shook and rattled as a low thump rumbled under our feet. The lights flickered and faltered; majority of the Patronus' in the room disappeared as concentration shifted to something else. Cedric's Wolf stopped running, turning to face the wall of mirrors, crouching down and snarling as my Phoenix screeched in anger. With those cries, they disappeared.

The thumping, rumbling and shaking continued, and Luna's rabbit disappeared as she finally focused on what was happening around her.

We all crowded together, unsure of what was happening. A particularly loud rumble sounded from the other side of the wall, and we all shifted nervously when a section of the mirror wall shattered and fell to the ground.

A few people raised their wands, aiming them at the wall as they tried to see in the sudden dull light.

I watched as Harry and little Nigel stepped towards the wall that the mirrors had been hiding, focusing on a small hole in the middle. Nigel stepped closer, peering through the wall but Harry was quick to push him aside when the voice no one wanted to hear reached us.

"I'll make short work of this…"

"Oh no…" I whispered, stepping out of Cedric's arms.

"Bombarda Maxima."

"Harry, get out of the way!" I shouted, quickly jumping in front of him when he was close enough. With a swift flick of my fingers, a clear shield bubbled out in front of me and I snarled in warning as I pushed it out to cover and protect everyone that stood behind me.

The mirror wall exploded barely a second later, glass and brick hitting my shield but otherwise doing nothing else. Umbridge and her Inquisitorial Squad stepped into view as the last of the rubble came to a standstill. I didn't drop my shield, snarling violently at them as they moved closer; my eyes shone blue and my lips pulled back, exposing my teeth as I shifted, leaning forward slightly.

When they were close enough, Malfoy yanked Cho Chang into view and my snarls grew louder. _That's _why she never showed up.

The only sounds in the room were my furious snarls and the heavy breathing of the students behind me.

"Get them!" Umbridge hissed.

"Run!" Harry shouted.

I dropped my shield as the DA members sprinted off in all different directions, slipping past Umbridge, Filch and the Slytherin students in a desperate attempt to escape. If we could spare even a small few from what we knew was coming, then we had done well.

We knew who Umbridge wanted, which is why we made no attempt to run.

Malfoy let go of Cho and went straight for Harry, grabbing his arm and tugging harshly. I hissed angrily when another pressed his wand between Cedric's shoulder blades; Ron, Hermione and the others were taken down the corridor long before we left. Filch went to grab my arm but I quickly stepped away, holding my arm up as I had earlier, ready to cast a spell at a moments notice.

"I'm quite capable of walking, Mr. Filch." I spat, watching Cedric being forced out of the room.

Filch grumbled but stayed close, making sure I left with them. The blue shade of my eyes made people keep their distance; Cedric was a few paces away from me, and I hated it.

The group split up before we reached Dumbledore's office. Percy Weasley met us downstairs, grabbing Cho and Harry by the shoulder and taking them upstairs; I looked over at Cedric with frightened eyes. I wasn't worried for myself, but for him; he mouthed the words "I love you" before following the others.

"Come, Miss Dawson." I didn't move. "_Now._"

I whipped my head to the side, glaring at her with eyes that were anything but friendly. She gestured for me to go upstairs and I reluctantly obeyed. The Minister went to grab my arm when I walked into Dumbledore's office but I hissed at him, watching as he thought twice and pulled his arm away.

"Keep your distance," Dumbledore warned them, sitting calmly in his chair. "She won't think twice about attacking you."

"Over with the others, Dawson." The Minister ordered quietly and I walked over to Harry, standing in front of him and Cho. I knew Dumbledore wouldn't harm them, but I had to protect them from the other threats in the room.

Umbridge began speaking almost immediately. "I've been watching them for weeks, and see! Dumbledore's Army," she pulled out the piece of parchment we had used as a sign up sheet, showing it to the Minister. "Proof of what I've been telling you right from the beginning, Cornelius."

Fudge and the others moved forward in a rush, standing at the bottom of the steps that led to Dumbledore's desk.

"All your fear mongering about You-Know-Who never fooled us for a minute," she went on. "We saw your lies for what they were: a smokescreen for your bid to seize control of the Ministry." Fudge looked to Umbridge and then back to Dumbledore, shocked.

"Naturally," Dumbledore answered, sounding almost bored.

"No, Professor," Harry spoke up in a rush. I tilted my head slightly; my eyes had yet to change back to their normal colour. "He had nothing to do with it, it was me!"

"Most noble of you, Harry, to shield me." Dumbledore interrupted calmly, meeting my eyes for a moment. He knew what he was doing. "But as it's been pointed out, the parchment clearly says Dumbledore's Army, not Potter's." he turned back to Fudge and the others. "I instructed Harry to form this organization and I, and I alone am responsible for its activities."

"Dispatch an owl to the Daily Prophet," Fudge said, wasting no time. "If we hurry we should still make the morning edition. Dorlish, Shaklebolt, you will escort Dumbledore to Azkaban to await trail for conspiracy and sedition…"

"Ah," Dumbledore replied, his voice gaining some life as he stood, moving away from the members of the Ministry who were slowly advancing on him. "I thought we might hit this little snag." He walked around his desk, putting something between him and Fudge. Kingsley came to stand by us, meeting my eyes and then Harry's with a tired expression on his face. "You seem to be laboring under the delusion that I'm going to… what was the phrase?" he paused. "Come quietly." The others moved closer. "Well I can tell you this: I have no intention of going to Azkaban."

"Enough of this," Umbridge hissed. "Take him!"

Dumbledore looked down at us for a moment… and winked.

A loud screech broke the tension in the room and I looked up to see Fawkes swooping down from his perch. The sound rolled over my body, making goose bumps rise on my skin. Before anyone could really comprehend what was going on, Dumbledore raised his arms, clapping his hands against Fawkes' feet as the Phoenix hovered above his head. Flames erupted from the spot he had been standing, a wave of power rolling out and knocking all the adults off their feet. When the flames went out, Dumbledore was gone.

"Whoa," Kingsley gasped when they all got back to their feet. "Well, you may not like him, Minister, but you can't deny… Dumbledore has got _style._"

Despite the situation, I smiled.

* * *

**Amber: The Ministry better watch out.  
BWA: Why?  
Amber: Because I'm a zombie wizard who also knows kung-fu.  
-Silence-  
Emmett: HWAAA!  
Amber: -Smiles proudly-  
Cedric: Can I ask something?  
BWA: Of course.  
Cedric: Last year, at the Quidditch World Cup, why was the collective wizarding world powerless against six bad guys?  
BWA: ... I have no idea.  
Amber: -Laughs-  
Emmett: Reviews are love!  
Cedric: And we love you!  
BWA: So leave us some love?  
Amber: And don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Emmett: Has anyone ever seen Amber laugh really hard?  
Cedric: No... why?  
Emmett: She claps like a retarded seal.  
Amber: I do not!  
Emmett: -Smirks- Arrr, arrr, arrr!  
Amber: -Glares-  
**


	12. You Took A Fall For Us

**BWA: Hey there, crazy people!  
Harry: -Grumbles- I'm not that crazy.  
Emmett: Uh... yes you are.  
Cedric: I'm sorry, but wouldn't Harry have bragging rights his entire life? I mean, come on.  
BWA: What are you talking about?  
Cedric: Well, think about it.. whenever someone asks "how did you get that scar?" he could just say. "I defeated Voldemort when I was a baby" -flexes-  
Emmett: -Points at Harry- That wimpy little fella? No one would believe that.  
Harry: But it really happened.  
BWA: We know what. What Emmett is saying is -  
Emmett: Is that it's hard to believe it actually happened. I mean, look at your scrawny little ass.  
Amber: -Tries not to laugh- You do realize how gross that sounds, right?  
Emmett: -Rolls eyes-  
BWA: Anyway... Can you believe I almost forgot to update?  
Emmett: -Gasps- Say it isn't so!  
BWA: I know! I went to the movies today and when I came back I got straight back into the story I'm working on at the moment. I don't remember what reminded me that I had yet to update, but I freaked out a little.  
Cedric: -Laughs-  
BWA: -Smiles- Anyway, this chapter is pretty full on towards the end as far as Amber and Umbridge's training sessions go. You'll see why.  
Amber: -Grumbles- I hate you for that.  
BWA: I know, I love you, too. -Smiles- **

**Disclaimer: I know what's mine, but if J.K wanted to give me Cedric then that would be fine. -Smiles sweetly- Pretty please, J.K? **

_**

* * *

**_

**_Chapter Twelve  
You Took A Fall For Us _**

The next frame to go up on the wall was the one we had been wishing never to see.

_Proclamation_

_Educational Decree_

_No. 119_

_Dolores Jane Umbridge has replaced Albus Dumbledore as head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

Things only got worse from there.

One of the first things Umbridge did was get Filch to take down all of the portraits throughout the school. I felt sick to my stomach seeing the blank walls; the school looked dead, there was no other word to explain it. The life was gone.

Gasps of pain accompanied the sound of quills scratching against parchment. Umbridge had called all members of Dumbledore's Army into an empty exam room to write lines; the downside was that she made us use her blood-sucker quills.

I squeezed my eyes shut, breathing deeply through my nose as I paused for a moment, my left hand stinging so bad that my eyes started watering. I couldn't remember what my lines were, I just wrote, too distracted by the pain and the sound of Cedric's shaky breaths from behind me. Every time he made a noise I had to choke back a sob; it was one thing for Umbridge to put my friends through this, but another thing entirely for Cedric.

Glancing down at my hand, I watched as a drop of blood rolled across my skin before dripping onto the table.

Umbridge did nothing but sit at the front of the room and sip at her tea with a satisfied smile on her face.

When she decided that we had been punished enough for the day, we were allowed to leave, exiting the room in silence. Cho waited for us outside, trying to get Harry's attention; he nodded curtly before passing her.

"Are you okay?" Cedric asked as we walked up the stairs. We were allowed half an hour to get cleaned up and ready for bed before we had to be back in our common rooms, so Cedric and I were heading up to the Prefects bathroom again.

I flexed the fingers on my left had, flinching at the sting. The blood was still flowing, but it was easily ignored. "I've had worse," I said softly, remembering the injuries Umbridge had given me over the school year. "What about you?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, but a glance down at his hand said otherwise. "Come on, we need to get cleaned up."

We walked the rest of the way in silence; I couldn't find any words to say as we passed the blank walls. I took a shaky breath and cradled my injured hand against my chest.

Entering the bathroom, Cedric locked the door before leading me over to the sinks. He turned on the tap and quickly washed the blood off his hand before taking mine and guiding it gently under the steady flow of water. I hissed when it touched my tender skin, squeezing my eyes shut at the familiar tingle of a healing gash.

"Shh, it's okay," he soothed, pressing his lips to my temple. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" I asked, trying to distract myself as the water washed away the blood on my skin.

"You're in pain… I hate it. She's putting you through enough already, you don't need another injury."

"Cedric, Harry taught us so much in the time we had; a little pain is more than worth it." I whispered tiredly. "This isn't your fault."

"It's not yours either," he answered quietly. "The only person to blame is Umbridge. She went too far."

I exhaled quietly and looked down at my hand, the blood was gone, and the cut was clean. I didn't want to look at the words etched into my skin. Cedric stepped away to grab the bag he always kept in here for me; he pulled out some gauze, grabbed his wand and tapped it against my hand, muttering a quick cleaning spell. I watched his face as he wrapped the gauze around my hand; he was always so gentle with me. His brows were slightly furrowed in his concentration, his lips puckered the tiniest bit but other than that his face was perfectly relaxed.

"This won't last forever," I whispered when he taped the gauze up. He grabbed another roll and held it out to me with a smile on his face; we moved to sit on the edge of the bath and I got to work wrapping the gauze carefully around his hand, having brushed my fingers over his skin and muttered the same spell he had used. "She won't be headmistress forever. This will pass."

Cedric shook his head, "that's true, but this may last until after I graduate." I looked up at him as I taped the gauze up. "I can't leave you here."

I sighed and pressed my forehead against his shoulder, this was going to be hard for us, having to separate at the end of the year. "Dumbledore won't let it last that long," I whispered. "The Ministry can't have power all the time."

I felt his lips press against my hair, "let's hope so."

* * *

"You did everything you could. No one could win against that old hag."

"Even Dumbledore didn't see this coming."

The four of us walked along the old wooden bridge, no destination in mind; we just wanted to get away. Harry was still stressed and upset about what happened with Dumbledore's Army, but I had managed to get him to talk about it a few nights before. Gazing out into the fog covered distance, I ran a hand through my hair; everything looked so dull…

"Harry, if it's anyone's fault, it's ours." Hermione said, her tone worried and apologetic.

"Yeah, we talked you into it," Ron added as we came to a stop, watching as Harry walked a little further and turned to face the hills. I stayed silent, letting him think it all over.

"Yeah, but I agreed," he replied in a quiet voice. "I tried so hard to help and all it's done is made things worse. Anyway, that doesn't matter anymore… because I don't want to play anymore; all it does is make you care too much. And the more you care the more you have to lose." I stepped forward and leaned against the railing, resting my good hand on his shoulder; he relaxed slightly under my touch. "Maybe it's just better to…"

"To what?" Hermione asked quietly.

Harry was silent for a moment before turning to face us; my hand slipped off his shoulder and he met my gaze quickly before looking at the others. "To go it alone."

I opened my mouth, ready to argue the point…

"Psst!"

My gaze shot over Harry's shoulder, zeroing in on Hagrid hiding to the side of the arch at the end of the bride. A new cut graced his forehead.

"Hagrid," Harry muttered, confused.

"He couldn't have picked a better hiding spot?" I asked as we walked over to him.

"I don't think he has many options," Harry replied, the hint of a smile in his tone.

Hagrid barely said anything when we reached him, simply telling us to stay quiet and follow him. Confused but curious, we did as we were told, following him all the way into the forest. _Deep _into the forest; after a while, Ron gave in and spoke.

"Any idea where he's taking us?"

Harry stepped over a tugged up root before he spoke, sounding slightly breathless. "Hagrid, why can't you just tell us?"

A low rumbling interrupted whatever Hagrid was planning to say; looking up, I saw a whole herd of Centaurs racing through the trees. They sounded angry and energetic… they sounded trapped. Their noises made the hair on my arms stand on end and I took a step back, trying to calm my suddenly racing heart.

"I've never seen the Centaurs so riled," Hagrid exclaimed as they disappeared from sight, their shouting growing more and more distant. "And they're dangerous at the best of times." He sighed and looked down at us. "The Ministry restricts their territory much more they're gonna have a full uprisin' on their hands."

"Hagrid, what's going on?" Hermione asked, sounding breathless and frightened.

"I'm sorry to be so mysterious, you lot. I wouldn't be botherin' you at all with it but… with Dumbledore gone…" he paused for a moment and when he spoke again he sounded as though he was holding back tears. "I'll likely be gettin' the sack any day now; and I couldn't just leave without tellin' _someone _about 'im."

He led us a little further into the forest; we remained silent, trying to figure out who he had been referring to earlier. A low, consistent thumping sound interrupted any chances of us asking; a large silhouette moved through the trees, the sound of crunching twigs and leaves accompanying each… footfall, I suppose.

"Grawpy," Hagrid called, and my eyes widened when the large shadow stepped into view, the light that filtered in through the trees washing away the darkness that had been surrounding him.

It was a Giant.

"Down here you great buffoon!" Hagrid shouted as the Giant stumbled around, trying to find the person who was talking to him.

We shuffled back quickly when he turned and waddled over to us, bending down and clapping his enormous hands around a bird that had taken flight to get away from all the noise he had been making. I jumped in surprise as the resounding _thwack _ricocheted through the forest.

"Grawpy," Hagrid said sternly. "I brought you some company."

The Giant looked down at us, smiling impishly. His face looked a little smooshed, his skin had a light shade of green to it in this light; he wore clothes that looked as though they had been made from leather and animal skin and he had a dirty mop of hair on his head. Other than that, I guess he was just your typical young Giant.

He stood still for a moment longer before shooting forward, jogging excitedly toward us. Harry grabbed my arm and tugged me back, running in the opposite direction; my lips pulled back from my teeth and I hissed in warning. We stopped when Grawp was yanked back by the large rope wrapped around his middle.

"I couldn't just leave him," Hagrid spoke up when we had calmed down some. "Because… because he's my brother."

"Blimey," Ron gasped.

"Well, half brother, really." He said, quick to correct himself. "He's completely harmless, just like I said." Hagrid raised his voice, making his reassurance louder as Grawp leaned down to get a better look at us. If I reached out, I would have almost been able to touch him. "A little… high spirited is all."

I saw Hermione stumble backwards from the corner of my eye and to my shock, Grawp quickly reached out to catch her, grabbing her in his hand and lifting her into the air, holding her at eye level.

"Grawpy, that is not polite!" Hagrid shouted and I flinched at the sound of Hermione's frightened scream.

"Hagrid, do something!" Ron said loudly, looking up at Hermione with worried eyes.

"We talked about this," Hagrid said to his brother. "You do not grab, do you? That's your new friend, Hermione."

I stepped closer to Harry when Ron ran past us with a thick tree trunk in his hand. When he was close enough, he swung it at Grawp's leg, whimpering in fear when it shattered against his skin.

"Grawpy!" Hagrid cried, trying to get him to listen.

Grawp looked down at Ron with disinterest, nudging him with his foot. Ron stumbled backwards before losing his footing entirely and falling down beside us. I held my arm out and helped Ron get up, turning my head back to the Giant when Hermione spoke in a stern voice.

"Grawp!" She scolded. "Put. Me. Down." Her voice shook the tiniest bit, but other than that she sounded strong. Grawp was silent, watching her. "_Now._"

The Giant shifted his weight from one foot to another before bending down and putting Hermione safely back on the ground. She stepped back to us, her eyes on Grawp as he shuffled sadly back to the tree he was bound to, his shoulders slumped.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked.

"I'm fine," she answered softly. "Just needs a firm hand is all…"

"What's he doing?" I asked, watching Grawp as he picked through the collection of junk he had by the knot of the rope.

"I think you've got an admirer," Harry answered, looking at Hermione quickly.

"You just stay away from her, alright?" Ron cried in a high, shaky voice.

I raised an eyebrow, still completely intrigued by what Grawp was doing. "Oh yes, very threatening, Ron. He's sure to keep his distance now."

Harry smiled slightly, bumping against my side.

Grawp turned back to us, holding a small object in his hands. He looked down at it and with the utmost concentration, flicked at a certain point with one of his fingers. The high ring of a bicycle bell reached my ears and I laughed once in surprise. Grawp stepped forward slowly, being careful, and extended his arm, holding the broken handlebars out for Hermione to take.

He was giving her a gift.

Hermione took the handlebars, holding them awkwardly for a moment before shifting slightly to flick her thumb against the bell, listening to it ring in response.

Grawp smiled happily, glad to be forgiven and we all sighed in relief.

"He gets his own food and all," I smiled when another bell sounded, Grawp having found another set of handlebars. He plonked down on the ground, fiddling with the object in his hands. "It's company he'll be needin' when I'm gone. You will look after him, won't you? I'm the only family he's got…"

The bell continued to ring as we gave Hagrid our word to watch out for his brother.

* * *

I wasn't the only one who had things to do at night; ever since Harry had had the dream about Mr. Weasley's attack, he had been put into his own form of training. Dumbledore had requested that Harry take Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape; basically he was learning to control his thoughts, his mind, and protect himself from Voldemort.

His lessons were conducted once a week, tonight of which being the night they chose.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" I asked as Cedric and I walked down an empty corridor, watching as Bella swooped through the trees; I was doing a full school patrol tonight, not just a quick run-over like I usually did. I wanted to get down to the nitty-gritty.

"I'm sure he's fine," Cedric replied, looking tense.

Since becoming Headmistress, Umbridge had enforced some pretty ridiculous rules; the one that gave Cedric the most trouble was…

"_Boys and girls are not permitted to be within eight inches of each other."_

The nights when I did a full school patrol were the only times we were able to touch and get away with it; well, then and the hour or so we took up in the Prefects bathroom after each training session I had.

I stopped walking and leaned against the side of the corridor, bending over the edge of the barricade. Bella swooped in over the treetops, linking her sight to mine as she began another loop of the school. I looked over the castle through blue tinted eyes, focusing on any shifts in the forest or anyone walking out in the courtyards. Cedric and I were probably the only two people still outside this late at night, so there wasn't much to see.

Cedric stood behind me the whole while, his arms wrapped tight around my stomach as he pulled me back against his chest, burying his face in my hair. The patrol didn't take long, and eventually I broke away from Bella's sight, relaxing against Cedric's chest.

"All done?" He asked in a low voice that made my stomach twist.

"Yes," I whispered; I turned to face him, feeling the static crackle between our bodies as a desperate intensity settled over us.

"Good," he answered.

In a quick movement, he turned us around and walked across the corridor, slamming my back against the wall before bending down to cover my mouth with his.

The moment his lips touched mine, I was lost. I thrust my hands into his hair, clenching my fists and feeling the soft strands slip through my fingers. Cedric grabbed my hips in his hands and I jumped up, wrapping my legs around his waist and pressing my weight against the wall behind me.

Cedric's tongue ran along my bottom lip as he raised a hand and slapped it against the wall next to my head. My lips parted as I inhaled heavily through my nose, feeling his tongue slide past my lips and run over my teeth. My legs tightened around his hips and he groaned, pressing me harder into the wall; I touched my tongue to his, feeling them curl and slide together.

Ripping his lips away from mine, Cedric moved down to my neck, kissing and nipping at the skin as I gasped for breath, feeling my eyes roll back into my head. My skin was tingling, my temperature rising several degrees. When I felt his teeth close around my earlobe, I couldn't stop the whimper that passed my lips; Cedric raised his head to look me in the eyes, his own a mix of blue and green fire that burned straight through me. I felt his grip tighten on my hip before he lurched forward and kissed me again.

We gasped and groaned between kisses; I was certain that my lips would be slightly bruised from the force with which we pressed them together. I hooked an arm under his, wrapping it around his back and grabbing at the material of his shirt as small bursts of heat went off over my skin. The other hand stayed in his hair, threading through the soft strands as our kisses began to slow.

Breaking away, Cedric rested his forehead against mine, staring into my eyes as we both gasped for breath, trying to get our overheated bodies to cool and calm down. Smiling cheekily, he removed his left hand from the wall and touched my swollen lips with his fingertips before cupping my cheek.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he told me.

I giggled breathlessly, still wrapped around him. We stayed like that for a while, tangled together and speaking in hushed voices as the night continued on around us.

* * *

"Quicker, Miss Dawson! You can do better than that!"

I snarled loudly, slipping behind a tree to avoid the stunning spell Umbridge threw my way. I was in yet another training session, and my coach was pissed off. Since she had been appointed Headmistress, the rules for my lessons had changed. There were no boundaries, nothing she couldn't try, because she made the rules now.

"Move!" she shouted and I hissed in frustration before shooting out of my hiding spot, weaving through the trees, ducking under branches and throwing spells back at Umbridge.

My foot caught on a root and I tumbled to the ground, feeling something scrape along my side, ripping through the shirt I wore. I hissed but got straight back up, too focused on protecting myself to worry about a small cut.

I stopped behind another tree, pressing my back against it and struggling to catch my breath. My eyes flicked around wildly, looking for threats; Umbridge was in the open space while I shot about in the surrounding forest.

"Don't stall!" She screeched. "Keep moving!"

Pushing away from the tree, I sprinted around it, pushing myself into the clearing. Umbridge's eyes widened for she had not been expecting me to put myself out in the open. Nonetheless, she quickly cast a spell and I swung my arm out, deflecting it with ease. I sprinted across the open expanse, ducking into the cover of trees on the other side.

I heard her sigh in frustration before she cast wave after wave of spells in my direction. They crashed into the trees around me, cracking and exploding right by my head. I snarled angrily, my fingers curling into the bark of the tree behind me.

"Are you going to keep hiding, Miss Dawson?" She called, her tone bordering on anger. It was almost as if she didn't like the fact that I was getting better at this. I was stronger, faster and better at casting spells without a wand.

I took a moment to collect myself; there was no time to calm my racing heart or stop my chest from heaving in its effort to catch a breath. I turned, peeking past the tree to see Umbridge standing in the same spot she had been for the last half hour. She looked a little frazzled though, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She met my eyes through the thick forest surrounding me and I hissed, whipping away from the tree and sprinting back into the clearing, intent on ending this session.

As soon as I was out in the open, she flicked her wand and a spell went off at my feet; I leapt out of the way, thumping against the ground and rolling up into a crouch, bracing myself on my arms and snarling like an enraged wolf, my lips curled back from my teeth, my eyes a shining blue. My fingers curled into the dirt before I pushed off the ground, breaking into a run.

She cast another spell that hit me square in the chest, I expected it to be a stunning spell, but it wasn't. My body went rigid, my eyes rolling back into my head as an overwhelming agony swept over me. It felt as though the heavy burn sank through my clothes and skin, working its way into my veins and spreading through every part of my body.

Dark Magic.

I threw my head back, squeezing my eyes shut as my mouth opened and a violent scream ripped up my throat. As my body went limp and hit the ground, I barely heard the deep voice that called my name through the ringing in my ears before everything went black.

* * *

**Emmett: And that right there is proof of the fact that Amber is a weakling.  
Amber: I am not, you dork.  
Emmett: You are, too. I mean, come on! One spell!  
Amber: Yeah, that happened to be something I can't stand!  
Emmett: -Makes crying faces- Boo hoo. Eat some concrete and harden up, princess.  
Amber: Oh yeah? Well I think you should put on your big girl panties and get over it.  
Emmett: Get over what? The fact that I'm awesome?  
Amber: -Facepalm-  
BWA: Okay, you two, settle down.  
Emmett: You gotta admit, though. I'm awesome.  
Cedric: -Nods- He's pretty awesome.  
Emmett: -Hi fives Cedric-  
Amber: -Shakes head-  
Harry: He is kinda awesome, Amber.  
Emmett: Admit it, little one, I'm awesome.  
Amber: -Grumbles-  
Emmett: Come on.  
Amber: -Sighs- Fine. You're awesome.  
Emmett: -Grins-  
BWA: Moving right along. How many of you are pissed off with Umbridge for doing that to Amber? I mean, that's pretty unfair. But.. she makes the rules now. We should TP her office, eh? Eh? Any takers? -Laughs- I had that kissing scene planned right from the beginning, too. As soon as I remembered that rule I knew that the two had to have a scene where they got the chance to um... relieve some tension.  
Cedric: -Coughs nervously-  
Amber: -Laughs-  
BWA: Okay, we've gone on long enough. You know the drill, let me know what you think!  
Harry: Reviews are love!  
Cedric: And we love you!  
Emmett: So leave us some love, because I'm awesome?  
Amber: -Laughs- And don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Emmett: Seriously, I'm so awesome. -Flexes and rips shirt- Oops. See? I'm so awesome that my awesome biceps have the power to rip shirts.  
Amber: Give it a rest, big fella.  
Emmett: -Grins- You can't give being awesome a rest, little one. You just can't.  
BWA: -Facepalm- **


	13. I'm All Yours

**Amber: -Groans-  
BWA: How're you holding up, kiddo?  
Amber: -Glares- I've definitely been better you evil, evil woman.  
BWA: -Smiles apologetically- Umbridge's use of Dark Magic on Amber received a pretty amazing response. Looks like a certain woman is going to have a lot of people wanting to inflict bodily harm on her.  
Emmett: She's such a pansy.  
Amber: And what does that make you?  
Emmett: Awesome.  
Amber: -Shakes head-  
Cedric: And now there's me!  
BWA: -Smiles- That's right! This chapter is completely CPOV. I love getting into Cedric's head, he has so much to say!  
Emmett: -Ruffles Cedric's hair- He is quite the wordy little runt, isn't he?  
Cedric: -Grins-  
BWA: Alright, enough stalling. Go and read!**

**This one's for you, Liz!**

**Disclaimer: I know what's mine, and it's awesome!**

_**

* * *

**_

**_Chapter Thirteen  
I'm All Yours _**

**CPOV**

"_It seems as though I don't need to cast the spell, pain is inflicted with little to no effort on my part."_

_He stepped closer and Amber's screams intensified, her back arching high off the ground, her legs curling and her hands grasping blindly at the ground beneath her as her head whipped from side to side._

"_Let her go!" I cried but no one moved. I couldn't step closer; I was bound to the earth by invisible chains. _

"_Stop!" Amber sobbed through her sounds of pain. "God, please stop!"_

_Her head whipped to the side and her eyes met mine, the deep emerald green that I loved so much was clouded with pain. She whispered my name before she screamed again, her eyes squeezing shut._

"_No!" I shouted, struggling against whatever it was that held me back. I had to get to her! She needed me!_

"_There's nothing you can do to help her," Voldemort hissed, looking at me over his shoulder. "You're going to leave her to fend for herself in a time where she is going to need you." He didn't sound compassionate or reassuring. He sounded triumphant; he was happy about this._

_Amber continued to writhe on the ground, her neck bending as she threw her head back, screaming so violently that there was no sound._

_I fell to my knees, sobbing helplessly. When Voldemort had had his fun, he stepped away, watching as Amber went limp, her chest heaving._

xXx

My eyes snapped open, the sound of Amber's screams disappearing as I registered the fact that I had been dreaming. Sitting up, I ran a hand through my hair, feeling beads of sweat roll over my temples and down my cheeks. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath, my arms shaking as my body began to calm down.

The dreams still hadn't stopped and every night they got more and more detailed. Each night Voldemort mocked me. Each night I heard her scream…

I shook my head and swung my legs off my bed, resting my elbows on my knees and burying my face in my hands. The one thing that always made the dreams worse was seeing Amber covered in gashes and bruises. It killed me to see her injured, but to that extent and from a _teacher_… it was torture.

The early morning light filtered in through the window, dulled by the near constant cloud cover over the school. I remember Amber telling me about how she thought the school had died since Dumbledore left, the happiness and life had been stolen away. She was right.

Getting up, I grabbed a change of clothes and headed out to the Prefects bathroom. By the time I was showered and dressed, everyone else was up and ready for the day; when I got down to the Great Hall for breakfast, I looked straight to the Gryffindor table, expecting to see Amber sitting with the others, but she wasn't there.

I felt my brows furrow in confusion. I knew she had a training session with Umbridge today, but they were usually scheduled for late in the afternoon. Shaking my head, I tried to rid myself of the fear that twisted my stomach; I would ask Harry about it later if she didn't show up.

"Where's Amber?" Ernie asked as I sat down beside him at the table. He had a mouthful of toast and the sight made Hannah laugh.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure… she's not with the others."

"She has a training session today, right?" Hannah asked, her eyes clouding with concern. Hannah adored Amber, so it was obvious that she would be worried. "Surely she'd tell you if she had anything else planned."

"I know she would," I answered. "She told me she had a lesson today… I don't understand."

Ernie clapped a reassuring hand against my shoulder. "I'm sure she's fine, mate."

I nodded, trying to believe him. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

"We'll let you know if we see her, okay?" Hannah soothed.

"Thanks."

Ernie pushed my empty plate closer to my body. "You need to eat, Ced."

I smiled a little, reaching absentmindedly for some food; my eyes flicked over to the Gryffindor table every few minutes, my worry increasing when she didn't turn up.

After breakfast, I managed to catch up to Harry as we left; it was a Saturday, so we had the whole day free.

"Harry!" I called, jogging over to him, sighing in relief when he turned.

"Morning, Ced," he replied. "What's up?"

I shoved my right hand into the pocket of my jeans, running my left hand through my hair again. "Have you seen Amber?"

"Oh," he sighed. "Umbridge rescheduled her training session for today."

"When is it?"

He shook his head in disgust. "Umbridge called for her before we came down for breakfast. She's out with her now."

My eyes widened. "Do you know where they are?" I asked, having never witnessed a session. No one had.

"In the clearing down by Hagrid's," he answered. "Near the forest."

"Thanks," I said as we walked out into the courtyard. The moment I was free of the crowd I broke into a run, passing through corridors and courtyards before reaching the top of the hill that led to Hagrid's. There was a small clearing not too far from here, and I was quick to make my way there.

The closer I got, the more I heard. Amber's vicious snarling reached my ears as I walked along the border of the forest. Umbridge's voice barked out an order every few minutes and each time Amber made an angry noise in response.

As I rounded the edge of the forest and broke into the clearing, I saw Amber shoot out from the surrounding trees, heading straight for Umbridge. The ground by Amber's feet exploded and she leapt out of the way, hitting the ground and rolling smoothly into a crouch. I watched on, mesmerized.

I had never seen Amber move so swiftly before; the training sessions were doing wonders for her reaction time. I could see the strength in her legs and arms as she leaned forward, her lips pulled back from her teeth, her eyes their threatening and unusual blue.

She paused for the shortest moment before pushing up and breaking into a sprint; I watched with wide eyes as Umbridge cast another spell that smacked Amber straight in the chest. My body felt cold as I watched her go rigid, her eyes rolled back and her head tipped backwards before a gut-wrenching scream of agony ripped up her throat. There was only one thing that caused that reaction.

Umbridge had used Dark Magic.

"Amber!" I cried, sprinting into the clearing. She went limp and fell to the ground; I felt a wave of nausea wash over me at the dull _thud _her body made when it hit the dirt. Skidding to a stop, I dropped to my knees beside her, carefully picking her up and cradling her against my chest.

She was out cold.

Disgusted and beyond furious, I glared up at Professor Umbridge who was watching on curiously. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I shouted.

"Excuse me, Mr. Diggory?" She asked, shocked.

Amber shivered in my arms and I pulled her closer, pleading for the pain in her body to go away. "You know that Dark Magic hurts her, why would you willingly use that against her?"

"I would appreciate it if you would lower your voice, Mr. Diggory."

"I will do no such thing," I spat.

Her chin jerked up and she spoke sharply. "Amber is under the protection of the Ministry; any creature with that privilege needs to be up to standard."

I froze in shock. "What did you call her?"

"A creature, Mr. Diggory, for that's what she is."

Glancing down at Amber's expressionless face, I took a steadying breath. "Amber is not a _creature_," I hissed. "She's a human being, just like you and me."

"That is not true," she answered calmly. "Amber can do things we cannot, she isn't entirely human, she's a creature. A hybrid."

"Are you delusional?" I shouted. "Amber is not a hybrid, she's gifted. If she were a hybrid, the legend would have stated it! Someone would have known. She's no hybrid or crossbreed or whatever other horrid name your precious Ministry can think of."

"Watch your tongue, Mr. Diggory, or you will see pitiful marks in your report."

I shook my head in disgust. "Go ahead, fail me. I couldn't care less; I'll have a go at anyone who causes Amber harm." Slowly, I got up, keeping Amber pressed firmly against my chest. "I don't care how many strings you try to pull, you will not put her through this again. The training sessions end today."

With that, I turned and walked out of the clearing, leaving Umbridge behind with a shocked expression on her face.

Amber didn't move as I walked, she was completely limp in my arms. I didn't like the way it felt; if she had been asleep, I wouldn't have minded at all. But the fact that someone had driven her to the point of unconsciousness made me sick. I needed her to open her eyes, needed to be reassured by their colour and the love they held. I needed to hear her voice, to hear her whisper my name or make a cheeky comment.

I needed _her._

I walked all the way to the Black Lake, coming to rest under a large tree. I sat down by the waters edge, leaning back against the tree trunk. Settling into the soft grass, I looked down at Amber's face.

She was injured again, this time more than any other. I ran my fingertips over her face, tracing the small bruise on her cheek and the scratches on her neck. A flash of skin caught my eye and I looked down at her side, seeing a large rip in her shirt. Whatever had destroyed the material only caused minor damage to her skin. The scratch barely broke the skin, it was just a faint pink line, but it stretched down her entire side and I could see the beginnings of a bruise outlining it.

"Oh, sweetheart." I breathed, bending down to kiss her hair and picking out the leaves and grass that were trapped in the ringlets. "I'm so sorry she did this to you."

I fell silent, stroking her cheek and watching her eyelashes flutter against her cheekbones. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually she began to regain consciousness. She groaned and shifted in my arms, hissing quietly when she angered a bruise; she buried her face in my chest, her hands grabbing weakly at my shirt.

"Everything hurts…" she whispered and my heart ached.

"I know, sweet thing. Just take it slow."

"Cedric?"

"I'm here." I soothed her, running my fingers through her hair. "How do you feel?"

"Horrible," she answered. "Did she…?"

"Use Dark Magic on you? Yes." I spat the last word, disgusted by the fact that Umbridge would sink so low.

She sighed, her eyelids twitching; I watched curiously, waiting to see those familiar emerald eyes I missed so much. "It hurt like all hell…"

"I can only begin to imagine," I said. "Open your eyes, Amber, look at me."

Her eyes opened and I was home; soothing green and full of love. She was here. My Amber.

"Hey there," she whispered, smiling gently.

I smiled back at her, shifting her so that she was sitting up slightly in my arms. "Hey," I sighed happily, leaning down to kiss her gently. Her lips were warm and soft and exactly what I needed. "So, how much of that do you remember?"

Her brows furrowed as she thought back on her last training session. "I remember… feeling the spell hit my chest and then the pain…" she trailed off, shivering. "I heard your voice just before I blacked out."

"At least you didn't hear what came after that," I said in a low voice.

"What did you say to her?" She asked softly, pressing her hand against my cheek.

I shook my head, smiling tenderly at her. "You don't want to know."

"I wouldn't have asked if that was the case, Cedric. What did you say?"

I traced my fingertips over the shape of her lips as I spoke. "She said that because you're a 'creature' under the protection of the Ministry, you need to be up to their standard." I paused, feeling my temper flare. "She called you a hybrid, Amber."

The angel in my arms simply rolled her eyes and laughed under her breath. "Is she delusional?"

I couldn't help but smile at her. "That's what I said."

We both knew that Amber being a hybrid was completely impossible, the Order having already discussed it over the holidays. Amber was gifted, nothing more, nothing less; the Ministry just wanted her to feel like an outcast, a freak so that she would worship them for 'protecting' her, as they called it. If torture was their form of protection, we wanted none of it.

"Hey, where did you go?" She asked, stretching up to nuzzle her face against my neck. "You spaced out on me."

I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her as gently as I could. "Sorry, just venting." I paused. "I told Umbridge that she wasn't allowed to put you through those training sessions anymore."

She leaned back and looked me in the eyes, curious. "You did?"

I nodded. "I refuse to have you be put through that again." I took a steadying breath, although my voice still shook when I spoke again. "Seeing you fall to the ground… hearing you scream like that… it was agony… it brought back too many memories."

"Oh, Cedric," she sighed, taking my face in her hands and leaning forward to kiss me. The feel of her soft lips against mine calmed me down a great deal. My lips parted under hers and I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth but we made no move to deepen the kiss any further. Pulling away, she rested her forehead against mine, being mindful of the bruise on her cheek. "You don't have to worry, the lessons are over. I would have dealt with it better if it weren't so unexpected. I'm sorry you had to witness that."

"I'm sorry you had to go through it," I replied quietly, hating myself for not getting there sooner.

"Don't start that," she said sternly, seeing the frustration in my expression. "This was not your fault; it's just a part of who I am."

I closed my eyes and bumped my nose against hers. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied softly. "And that knowledge is enough to get me through; your love makes me strong."

I pulled her closer, pressing my face against her neck and inhaling her scent. For someone so young she was so strong; she had dealt with more in the last few years than most people would go through their entire lives. Yet she still remained so sweet and happy and loving.

"I will never stop loving you," I whispered.

"Then I will always be strong," she answered. "I will always pull through because I know that, at the end of the day, you still love me, and you will love me for the rest of forever."

"Forever," I echoed.

* * *

"Sore?" I asked as I cleaned up the last of her scratches. I had found a particularly nasty gash on the back of her right leg and had been quick to tend to it. Relief swelled in my chest when I realized this was the last time I would have to clean wounds inflicted by Professor Umbridge.

"It's not so bad now," she replied, leaning back against my chest as she quickly dried her hair, having just hopped out of the bath. "The warm water helped a lot."

"I'm glad," I replied, kissing the back of her neck as she lifted her hair up so that I could check the back of her shoulders once more. "Alright, go get dressed."

She turned her head and kissed my jaw before grabbing the bag of clothes we had picked up on our way here. I tried my best to avoid looking over to her, but I saw her reflection in the mirror as I washed my hands. She had pulled her jeans on and was pulling her shirt over her head. I swallowed heavily, watching her back curl as she pulled her shirt on. She pulled her hair out of the neckline, letting it flow down her back. I smiled again as the long chocolate locks tumbled down toward her hips.

"Beautiful," I sighed.

Amber looked over her shoulder and met my eyes, smiling brightly.

Once she was dressed and ready to go, the two of us headed back downstairs, finding the others out in the main courtyard.

"Amber!" Hermione cried, running over to us and hesitating before taking Amber's hands. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she answered calmly. "It hurt, but it didn't last long."

"It's all over now, right?" Fred asked as we walked over to them. "She won't be put through it again?"

"That's right," I reassured him. "No more training sessions."

Fred smiled, holding his arms wide for Amber. She smiled back at him, letting go of my hand to step into his embrace. He wrapped his arms very carefully around her, burying his face in her hair. They rocked from side to side for a moment or two before Fred passed her over to George who held her just as his brother had.

It was in that moment that I realized just how much she meant to all of them. They way they held her and the way they looked at her. She was very important to them, more so than one would first guess. To them she was a best friend and a little sister, someone to talk to, someone who makes them laugh and someone they all trust.

Harry walked over to me and clapped me gently on the shoulder. "Thank you, Ced."

I dipped my head. "No worries."

Amber turned to face me, smiling brightly. When she stepped back into my embrace I smiled into her hair, holding her close.

She was the most important thing in the world to me.

And I was going to spend the rest of my life with her.

* * *

**BWA: Awww.  
Emmett: -Looks at Cedric- You're such a woman.  
Cedric: -Flips Emmett the bird-  
BWA: So, what do you think? Glad someone finally gave Umbridge a piece of their mind? I sure am!  
Amber: -Smiles and cuddles closer to Cedric-  
Emmett: Doesn't Umbridge realize that using Dark Magic is prohibidado?  
Cedric: I'm sorry, what?  
Emmett: Prohibidado. It's in Spanish to show you just how serious I'm being.  
Amber: Yeah, it is prohibi... babido..  
Emmett: Prohibidado.  
Amber: Prohimidorado..  
Emmett: I give up. -Grins-  
Amber: -Frowns- I never took Spanish as a language elective.  
Emmett: I can tell.  
Amber: -Glares-  
BWA: Well, you know the drill!  
Cedric: Reviews are love!  
Emmett: And we love you!  
Amber: So leave us some love?  
BWA: And don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Emmett: Come on, little one. It's not that hard. Pro. Hibi. Dado.  
Amber: -Struggles- Prohibibadibibabido.  
Emmett: -Facepalm-  
BWA: -Laughs- **


	14. We'll Walk This Road Together

**Emmett: Hey, Amber?  
Amber: Hmm?  
Emmett: Knock knock.  
Amber: Who's there?  
Emmett: Jenny Tall.  
Cedric: -Chuckles-  
Amber: ... Jenny Tall who?  
Emmett: Jenny Tall warts!  
Amber: -Starts laughing- That's disgusting.  
Emmett: Of course. -Looks at BWA- ... Why isn't she laughing?  
Cedric: Elise? -Pokes BWA's arm-  
BWA: -Jolts upright- CHEESE STICKS!  
Emmett: -Stares- Uh..  
BWA: -Blinks tiredly- Sorry.. I must have drifted off.  
Harry: When I fall asleep I dream about snakes and evil bald men... -Shivers-  
Emmett: Oh, wahh.  
Harry: -Glares-  
BWA: Okay.. um.. -rubs eyes- I'm glad so many people were glad to see Cedric stand up to Umbridge. It was a long time coming.  
Cedric: -Smiles proudly-  
BWA: And.. and.. -yawns- you can go and read now.**

**Disclaimer: It's not mine. -Grumbles- freaking J.K Rowling... **

_**

* * *

**_

**_Chapter Fourteen  
We'll Walk This Road Together _**

**APOV**

The only sounds in the room were the sharp scratching of quills against parchment and the even breathing of those using them. Other than that, the silence was almost painful.

We were sitting our "Theory of Charms" exam but I couldn't make myself concentrate. Whenever I shifted the fading bruise on my side would throb lightly, making me cringe. Glancing down at my parchment, I read the next question.

_Which wand movement is used to correctly cast the …_

My focus shifted away from the question, not bothering to finish reading. The reason I was so easily distracted was because I kept thinking back on the conversation that I had with Fred and George the night before. Biting my bottom lip, I replayed the scene in my head.

xXx

"Which charm is used to reverse the effects of…" I glared down at my study sheet before pushing it aside. "I'm not even gonna bother."

"Given up yet?"

I leaned back into the couch cushions, glancing up at Fred and George as they sat down on either side of me, George quickly pulling the now crumpled parchment from underneath him.

"Oops, looks like I _accidentally _sat on your parchment. You can't study with paper like this. Oh well."

I laughed, watching as he scrunched the paper up and threw it into the fire. "Accidents happen, I suppose; and yes, Fred, I gave up right before you two decided to annoy me." I bumped my shoulder against his to show that I was joking.

George reached over and took my hand. "How are the battle scars?"

"Getting there," I replied, watching as he inspected a fading bruise on my forearm. The injuries from my final training session with Umbridge were taking a little longer to heal since she used Dark Magic on me. My system took a day to recover from the shock of having to deal with that before it got to work on healing my cuts and bruises.

"I still can't believe she used Dark Magic on you," he muttered angrily, his hand tightening around mine. "What a git."

"We'll get her back, don't you worry." Fred reassured me. He was silent for a moment before he ruffled my hair. "I still can't believe how long this mop of yours is."

I grinned, swatting his hand away. "I've never been interested in having short hair; but it's funny to think about how much it's grown over the years. First year it only just passed my shoulders."

"And now you're in your fifth year…" George breathed, shocked. "I can't believe how fast the time has gone."

"I know what you mean," I sighed. "The exams were so much easier back in first and second year."

"Hey, Amber?"

I tilted my head to the side. "Hey, Fred?"

He smiled slightly. "You know we're proud of you, right?"

"Of course I do," I answered, feeling George's fingers twitch against my palm. "You have a habit of reminding me."

"Well, we just wanted to let you know that we really are proud of you; you've accomplished so much in the last few years and we've loved watching you learn about your powers and all that…" he trailed off, his brows furrowing.

"You know that once we graduate we won't get to see you as often," George continued, picking up where his brother left off. "But we want you to know that we'll think of you every day. We expect you to write to us."

"Guys, what are you getting at?" I asked quietly, starting to worry. I could feel tears pooling in my eyes. The two of them were hardly ever this serious; I wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Oh, Amber, don't cry." George soothed, wiping away my now falling tears with his thumb. "We just want you to know that we won't forget about you when we leave Hogwarts."

"But why are you bringing it up now?" I asked in a strained voice. "You're not leaving yet."

Fred sighed. "But we will, very soon." He took my other hand and squeezed it tightly. "Listen to me, Amber. You have so much potential, you have what it takes to excel while you're here." He pinched my nose with his free hand. "We want you to give your last few years here everything you've got, okay?"

"Okay," I choked, squeezing my eyes shut.

I heard Fred sigh quietly. "Come here, kid." I let go of George's hand, leaning against Fred's side and pressing my face against his shoulder. "We love you and only want what's best for you. We want you to do well while you're here, not be a practical joker like George and I. Do what you came here to do."

George pressed his forehead against my back while I sniffled and cuddled myself against Fred's side, letting my tears fall on his shirt.

"I will." I whispered. "I promise."

xXx

The three of us stayed on that couch all night; I fell asleep there, embraced by the boys that were like brothers to me. I wasn't sure why they brought that topic up and I don't know what they meant by it; but the way they worded it made me wonder if they had something up their sleeves.

I sighed distractedly, running a hand through my hair and glanced down at my parchment again. Was there a point in trying to focus on this?

Ron sighed a few seats behind me and I could hear Hermione's quill scratching away against her parchment. I didn't have to look back to see what they were doing, I could tell just by the sounds they made. Harry wasn't doing anything at all; he was about as distracted as me.

_Crack!_

My head snapped up and I turned in my seat, looking down at the doors at the other end of the room.

_Bang!_

I looked over at Umbridge who broke into a swift walk when another loud noise reached us. Her heels clicked against the ground as she made her way down to the doors, her expression tense and slightly panicked. People began to whisper as she passed them, listening to the odd noises continue from outside.

Opening the large doors, she stepped out into the other room, glancing around. Even though she was at the other end of the room, I was able to focus on her rather easily. I sat up straighter when a sparkling object floated in front of her face before shooting over her shoulder and into the exam room. It whistled over our heads before breaking off into three parts and exploding with a happy _bang. _

Fireworks…

Silence followed for a handful of seconds and I held my breath, sure but unsure of what was going to happen next. Only two people would set off fireworks during an exam…

I heard the faint whooshing sound of two broomsticks before they shot into the room with the Weasley twins on them, shouting gleefully. They raced over the desks and I squealed in delight when the exam papers shot off the desks and floated down to the floor.

The other students taking the exam got out of their chairs and cheered happily, watching as fireworks exploded above our heads, fizzling and cracking, showering the space above our heads with bright colours and flashing lights. _This _is what the school had been missing. _Life. _

Hermione grabbed my arm, grinning brightly at me as smaller fireworks burst with bright flashes of colour around our heads. Smoke floated through the room as the fireworks fizzled out but where quickly replaced; Fred and George high fived in the centre of the room before shooting around again.

Filch ran into the room with a mop in his hand, looking down at Umbridge with a questioning expression as she gazed helplessly at the students and the fireworks, unsure of what to do.

"Ready when you are!" I heard George cry and I looked up to see Fred throw a peculiar shaped object above his head with a "woo!" before the two of them shot out of the way.

I watched as the object exploded, the sparks and colours it created slowly taking the shape of a dragons head. Giggling happily, I kept my eyes on the dragon as it lurched heavily toward Umbridge who turned and ran for the doors. The dragon stayed close behind her, its jaw loosening as it went to swallow her whole. She made it past the doors before the dragons mouth closed around her and burst with a series of bright flashes, smaller fireworks shooting in all different directions. I could hear them shattering the glass in the frames hung above the doors on the other side of the wall.

The fireworks went out as all the frames fell away from the wall, smacking against the ground. Fred and George hovered above our heads for a moment, grinning from ear to ear.

"See you later, kids!" they shouted before racing out of the room.

We were silent for a moment before we all jumped into motion, running out of the room and into the courtyard outside. I distantly noticed flaming pieces of parchment floating to the ground and I cried out joyfully, sprinting into the open air with my friends.

Fireworks were going off outside, Fred and George quickly disappearing from sight but not without leaving their mark. I laughed, raising my arms above my head and cheering with the group of students, some in uniform and some in their own clothes for they had come outside to see what the big deal was. I spotted Cedric in the crowd and tipped my head back, grinning up at the sparkling letter they left in the sky.

W.

I shook my head, laughing when I realized that _this _was what they had planned. _This _is why they had spoken to me last night.

Goofballs.

Nonetheless, even though now was a time to celebrate and be happy, I could tell that something wasn't right.

I looked back over my shoulder just in time to see Harry fall to the ground, his eyes unfocused. I ran over to him, crouching down and grabbing his shoulders, staring intently into his eyes.

"What is it?" I shouted over the cheering.

He didn't say anything; he just let me see…

"_I need that prophecy." _

_Silence followed for a few seconds as Sirius tried to control his anger. "You'll have to kill me," he answered calmly, the threat in his tone more than obvious._

"_Oh, I will," Voldemort answered, enjoying himself. "But first you will fetch it for me."_

_I could hear Sirius' heart racing, feel the sweat on his skin, feel his worry for us, his anticipation for the pain._

"_Crucio!"_

_And there it was…_

_Burning, blinding, paralyzing pain; it shot through his body and he cried out in agony. His arms and legs were tied together; he couldn't move._

"_Crucio!"_

_The sun peeking out through the dark clouds, painting the sky a deep orange…_

_A label on a dusty shelf: 97: 128._

_A small glass sphere, so familiar yet so like the others; it glowed with life, mist swirling inside. A tag hung off the shelf, Harry's name written on it in a fading script._

_Fudge and Lucius Malfoy standing together in a Ministry corridor we had passed many months ago._

_A door at the end of the hall, bright against the dark tiles that surrounded it._

I broke myself away from his sight, my muscles burning. There was Dark Magic in those thoughts…

Hermione crouched down beside me as Harry's eyes refocused, his jaw tightening and his eyes widening in panic before he spoke; it was only one word but it was enough.

"Sirius."

Hermione helped him up and I turned, finding Cedric again and sprinting over to him. He caught me in his arms, leaning back and taking my face in his hands.

"What's wrong?" He shouted.

I shook my head. "I don't know! We think Sirius is in trouble. Harry saw him in the Ministry with Voldemort. We have to do something!"

"Calm down." He soothed me. "What do you need me to do?"

"Stay with the others!" I cried. "We'll come and get you soon, I promise! We need to figure out what's going on first." I reached up and pressed my hands to his cheeks. He leaned down and pressed his forehead to mine, brushing his thumbs over my cheeks. "Stay safe!" I stretched up and kissed him firmly, finding a moment of peace in this sudden chaos. Pulling away all too soon, I told him I loved him before breaking into a run to catch up with the others.

* * *

"Harry, are you sure?"

"I saw it," Harry replied in a no nonsense tone as we ran up the moving staircases. "It's just like with Mr. Weasley. It's the same door I've been dreaming about for months and I couldn't remember where I'd seen it before. Sirius said Voldemort was after something, something he didn't have the last time and it's in the Department of Mysteries."

"Harry, please just listen," Hermione gasped and Harry stopped, turning to look at her. I pressed my hand to my chest, feeling my heart beat racing under my palm as I took a moment to catch my breath. "What if Voldemort meant for you to see this? What if he's only hurting Sirius because he's trying to get to you."

"Well, what if he is?" Harry asked in disbelief. "I'm supposed to just let him die? Hermione, he's the only family I've got left."

"We have to go," I said after a moment of silence.

Ron looked up at Harry. "What do we do?"

Harry exhaled heavily, relieved that we were on board, before he turned and continued to run up the stairs. "We'll have to use the Floo network."

"But Umbridge has all the chimneys under surveillance." Hermione answered.

"Not all of them!"

We stopped at the common room to change out of our uniforms, making sure we had everything we needed before heading out again.

"So, we're going to sneak into Umbridge's office and use her portal?" I asked as we jogged up the last set of stairs to Umbridge's office. Harry looked at me over his shoulder, nodding quickly. "I like it."

Thankfully, Umbridge hadn't returned to her office yet, but the door was locked. A quick charm from our first year solved that problem.

I'd almost forgotten how ridiculously, sickeningly pink this woman's office was. Stepping inside, I was overwhelmed by the scent of sugar, tea and her horrible perfume. Plates of all shapes and sizes were hanging on the walls, each one had a kitten on it; they watched us as we crossed the room, meowing as kittens do.

Harry grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and threw it in the fireplace, watching as sickly green flames burst to life. "Alert the Order if you can," he told us, crouching down in front of the fire.

"Are you mental?" Ron complained. "We're going with you."

"It's too dangerous," Harry shot back.

"You need to be protected," I spoke up.

"When are you going to get it into your head?" Hermione asked in a frustrated tone as she knelt beside him. "We're in this together."

"That. You. Are."

I turned to see Professor Umbridge standing in the doorway, dirty and frazzled and absolutely furious. Blinking, I found myself watching her through blue tinted eyes, still not comfortable being around her after she attacked me with Dark Magic.

A flick of her wand doused the fire, blocking our escape. Harry and Hermione stood up, keeping behind me as I bared my teeth, hissing wildly. She glared at me, keeping her distance until Malfoy and the rest of her Inquisitorial Squad reached us. Crabbe and Goyle crossed the room, hesitating for a moment when they were within attacking distance. I stepped back, stretching my arms out to the side, protecting my friends.

"Don't even think about it," I growled, leaning forward slightly.

I saw Umbridge flick her wand from the corner of my eye before my body went limp. Goyle caught me before I could hit the floor, calling for Malfoy who quickly crossed the room and held me up for I couldn't feel my limbs. Crabbe grabbed the back of Harry's neck with one hand and Ron's with the other while Goyle grabbed Hermione's shoulder. They led us over to her desk, sitting Harry in a chair facing Umbridge on the other side.

One by one, the members of her squad that had gone to get the others came back with either one or two members of Dumbledore's Army. By the time they brought Luna in I had control over my body again and I quickly shoved away from Malfoy; Umbridge sent him off to find any others and he left in a rush.

Cedric was brought in next and I felt my stomach twist; he met my eyes and pushed away from the Slytherin that had brought him here, walking quickly to me and taking my hand, wrapping the other around my stomach. My eyes had yet to go back to their normal colour, and he knew that he was the only person who was capable of restraining me right now. I leaned forward in his arms, tense and wary.

"Caught this one trying to help the Weasley girl," Malfoy spat, leading Neville into the room.

Umbridge acknowledged him swiftly before leaning down so that she was almost eye level with Harry who watched her with panicked eyes. "You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?"

"No," Harry answered quietly.

"Liar!" she hissed, slapping him sharply across the face. I snarled viciously, struggling in Cedric's arms. How dare she!

"You sent for me, Headmistress?"

I looked to the doorway as Umbridge stood up straight, pretending as if nothing had happened. Professor Snape stood there, well aware of what was going on, yet he appeared disinterested. "Snape, yes. The time has come for answers, whether they want to be given to me or not. Have you brought the Verituserum?"

"I'm afraid you've used up all my stores interrogating students; the last of it on Miss Chang." I hissed in realization. _That's _how she found out about Dumbledore's Army, the wretched woman. Cedric's arm tightened around me, the hand wrapped around mine squeezing reassuringly. "Unless you wish to poison him – and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy if you did – I cannot help you."

Umbridge stood there, shocked, as Snape turned to leave.

"He's got Padfoot!" Harry spoke up, trying desperately to explain. Snape froze but made no move to look back at us. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden."

I shifted anxiously, silently begging for Snape to understand.

"Padfoot?" Umbridge asked, her words rushing out in her confusion. "What is Padfoot? Where _what _is hidden? What is he talking about, Snape?"

I held my breath, waiting for him to say something. He turned, glancing at Harry before looking at Umbridge with wide, innocent eyes. "No idea." He told her before leaving the room.

Harry smiled, a tiny relieved smile, before looking away.

"Very well," Umbridge muttered in defeat, turning back to her desk to pick up her wand. "You give me no choice, Potter. As this is an issue of Ministry security you leave me with… no alternative." She looked up and met my furious gaze before grabbing her wand with slow, careful hands. "The Cruciatus curse ought to loosen your tongue."

"That's illegal," Hermione warned.

"She doesn't think twice about breaking the rules," I hissed, feeling Cedric pull me closer to his chest, still restricting.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," she answered calmly, moving the photo she had of the Minister so that it was pressed against the table, the photo hidden as she acted as though I hadn't spoken.

Umbridge turned to face Harry again and the kittens in the plates began yowling in encouragement or outrage, I wasn't sure. Harry leaned back, bracing himself for the pain he had endured once before.

"Tell her, Harry!" Hermione cried, cutting Umbridge off as she began the incantation.

"Tell me what?" She asked, turning to look at Hermione, her wand still aimed at Harry's head.

Hermione hesitated. "Well… if you won't tell her where it is… I will."

"Where _what _is?"

I looked over at Hermione, watching as she pretended to struggle with the answer. It was all a ruse. "… Dumbledore's secret weapon."

Umbridge stared at her in shock before lowering her wand and speaking in a rush. "Potter, Granger, come with me. You will show me where this… this weapon is."

"Don't you think it's wise for Amber to accompany you?" Cedric asked, loosening his hold on me. "For protection?"

The horrid woman looked at me with wary eyes before she sighed. "Very well. Miss Dawson, you are to follow behind us and make sure people keep their distance."

With that, she gestured for Harry and Hermione to lead the way. Hermione stepped away from us, waiting for Harry to get up before they left the room. Cedric bent down and kissed my hair. "Go," he whispered. "Do what you need to do."

Still looking through blue tinted eyes, I stepped away and walked behind Umbridge as she trailed after Harry and Hermione. The students that were wandering through the corridors we passed kept their distance, unnerved by my eyes and the way I held myself.

Umbridge didn't say a word as the two of them continued on. When we reached the forest I realized what they were doing; they were leading her to Grawp.

As soon as we were deep enough into the forest I slipped behind a tree, disappearing from sight. No one turned to see if I was still there and I sighed in relief before breaking into a sprint, trying to latch onto the sight of any creatures that might possibly be around.

I heard their voices as I drew nearer, heard their hooves thumping against the ground and their grunts of protest with being so closed in. Slowing to a walk, I entered the part of the forest they resided in, feeling my heart race when I thought of what I had to do. I had only spoken to a Centaur once before, so trying to convince an entire herd to help me would be no easy feat.

One spotted me between the trees, raising the bow he held and aiming it at my chest. I stood completely still, watching him. "What is your business here?" He asked in a gruff voice. His herd fell silent at his words, all of them turning to look at me.

"I'm here to ask for your help," I answered as strongly as I could.

"Help is not given to those who imprisoned us," he spat.

"I am not in alliance with them," I replied calmly. "They have done wrong by me, as well."

"How so?" A smaller Centaur asked, he was only young.

"They put me under their protection but then went back on their word and attacked me with Dark Magic." There was little to no light filtering in, but I could see the herd with perfect clarity.

"Why would they do such a thing?" He asked in shock.

I shrugged. "Because I am a threat to them; they were not protecting me, but themselves."

"Why should we believe you?" the first Centaur asked, but I could see that he was not as intense as before.

"Look at her eyes," the younger one responded, stepping forward. "She is not like the others. Do you remember the legend? The Silver Phoenix would choose a human to inherit its powers; I believe this is the girl. If she relaxes, her eyes will turn to green." He looked at me with hopeful eyes. "Is that true, child?"

"It's true," I answered. "I have had these powers for almost three years."

Turning back to his brother, he gestured to me with a wide sweep of his arm. "I think we should trust her and help her with what she needs."

The Centaur watched me for along moment before lowering his bow. "What is it that you need us for, child?"

I sighed in relief. "My friends are in trouble. Professor Umbridge is trying to stop us from doing what is right. She believes the Dark Lord has not returned when we know it is true. She has got Harry and Hermione leading her through the forest for no particular reason. I need you to help us get Professor Umbridge out of the way." I paused. "I feel you should know that she is a strong influence at the Ministry."

The Centaur dipped his head. "We will help you; lead the way."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"Do you need to ride with one of us?"

I shook my head. "I'm sure I can keep up. Come on."

Rearing up onto his hind legs, the Centaur gave a loud cry before breaking into a gallop, his herd following. I grinned and broke into a sprint, propelling my body forward; I was soon running by the leaders' side. Together, we weaved through the trees, leaping over fallen branches and ducking under low hanging ones. The adrenaline rush was indescribable, my muscles were burning but I felt alive, as I usually did when I ran.

Since the others had been walking we caught up easily, slowing when their voices reached us. I took a few moments to even out my breathing before gesturing for them to move forward; the leader of the herd put his hand on my shoulder, walking with me.

"Will you be alright?" I asked quietly as we walked up the small hill that would put us in Umbridge's line of sight.

He nodded, patting my shoulder. "We will be fine, child. It was an honor to run with such a magnificent creature like yourself."

I smiled, knowing that being called a creature this time around was to be taken as a compliment. "Running with you was definitely something else. Thank you for trusting me."

We fell silent as we came to the top of the hill, everyone's stance shifted, prepared for anything. I inhaled deeply, the world still tinted with blue; the sound of the Centaur's hooves caught Umbridge's attention and she stumbled back when we came into view.

"You have no business here, Centaur." She said in a shaky voice, hiding behind Harry and Hermione. "This is a Ministry matter."

At the mention of the Ministry, the leader raised his bow and arrow again, aiming at Umbridge. Many of his herd drew their bows as well; I leaned forward slightly, my lips curling back from my teeth. My eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Lower your weapons," she continued. "I warn you, under the law as creatures of near human intelligence -"

I hissed and the leader shot an arrow which Umbridge deflected before it could strike anyone. I shifted slightly, feeling protected standing between him and the one that had trusted me in the first place.

"How _dare _you!" She gasped, watching as we all stepped forward. "Filthy half-breed!"

With a look of smug determination on her face, she spoke a binding incantation that shot a rope out towards the herd. The young Centaur pulled me out of the way as the rope wrapped around the neck of his leader; he whinnied in protest and fell to the ground, rolling down the hill and getting tangled further in the rope. I looked down at him with panicked eyes, unable to move pressed against the body of the Centaur beside me. The only thing I could do was lean forward and snarl in protest.

Hermione rushed forward and dropped to her knees by the gasping Centaur, not wanting to touch the rope and cause him more harm. She whipped around and shouted at Umbridge. "Please! Please stop it! Please!"

"Now enough!" Umbridge screamed. "I _will _have order."

Glancing over her shoulder, I let out a dark laugh when Grawp walked up and grabbed the back of her blouse, lifting her into the air to look at her more closely.

"Now!" I cried, stepping away from the young Centaur. "Go, go!"

The herd shot forward, galloping past me; some gently brushed their hands against my hair or my shoulders as they shot past. I saw the leader rise to his feet, ripping the ropes away from his body and charging forward with his family.

They swarmed around her, jumping in an attempt to reach her legs as Grawp held her up, amused by the attention this little woman was getting. I jogged down the slope and grabbed onto Harry and Hermione, bringing them forward with me as we moved away from the herd so as to avoid getting hit by the arrows they had begun to shoot.

"Leave him alone!" Hermione protested. "It's not his fault! No, he doesn't understand!"

"It's alright," I soothed her when we were a slight distance away. "They mean him no harm. They only want Umbridge."

When a bow lodged itself into the top of Grawp's arm, he stepped away, dropping Umbridge for the herd to take.

"Potter, do something!" She gasped. "Tell them I mean no harm!" She struggled as two Centaurs picked her up by her arms, not caring to be gentle.

"I'm sorry, Professor." Harry replied. "I must not tell lies."

The leader of the herd dipped his head at me and I was quick to acknowledge it, watching as they shot off into the surrounding forest, Umbridge's cries and protests quickly fading away. The world exploded with colour as my eyes faded back to green.

"Thank you, Grawp." Hermione said, looking up at the Giant that had helped us. He grunted softly, pulling the arrow out of his arm. He smiled at the sound of her voice.

"Hermione," Harry gasped, tugging on her arm. "Hermione… Sirius!"

We turned and sprinted back the way we had come, moving as fast as we could in the twisting, curling forest.

"How did you get the Centaurs to cooperate?" Hermione shouted breathlessly as we broke free of the forest.

I grinned, remembering the feeling that came with running beside them. "They had heard about my legend; one of them convinced the others to trust me. It was phenomenal!"

We didn't stop running until we reached the old wooden bridge where we found Luna, Ginny, Ron, Neville and Cedric. I propelled myself forward the last few feet and slammed into Cedric, feeling his arms wrap tight around me.

"Everything go okay?" He asked, burying his face in my hair.

"It went perfectly," I answered.

"How did you get away?" Hermione asked in a shocked voice when they caught up.

"Puking Pastels," Ginny replied and I smiled at the name Fred and George gave one of their inventions. "It wasn't pretty."

I turned in Cedric's arms to face my friends, watching as Ron handed Harry and Hermione their wands. Mine was in my pocket for no one had dared attempt to take it from me, not that I needed it, anyway.

"Told them I wanted some sweets," Ron explained, pulling me back into the present. "Of course, they told me to bugger off and ate the lot themselves."

"Gross," I whined, enjoying the brief moment of relief at being reunited again.

"That was clever, Ron." Hermione replied, surprised.

He shrugged, bragging. "It's been known to happen."

"It was brilliant!" Neville said excitedly. "So, how are we getting to London?"

Harry went quiet for a moment, hesitating. "Look, it's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, all of you… but… look, I've got you into enough trouble as it is." He walked past us, still intent on doing this alone.

"Dumbledore's Army was supposed to be about doing something real," Neville shot back and Harry stopped and turned to face us again. "Or was that all just words to you?"

"Maybe you don't have to do this all by yourself, mate." Ron said quietly, hoping.

Harry looked at each of us in turn, sighed heavily and said. "So, how _are _we going to get to London?"

We were silent until Luna spoke up, smiling brightly. "We fly, of course."

Fly?

This would be interesting.

* * *

**Harry: God, I'm so emo.  
Emmett: -Laughs- Fifteen years in the making, he finally catches on.  
BWA: -Smiles sleepily- Well.. we've only got two more chapters left..  
Amber: -Sniffs-  
BWA: Don't worry, we still have a heap of sequels to get through.  
Amber: Oh.. -smiles-  
BWA: So.. -yawns- what did you think of Amber's meeting with the Centaurs?  
Amber: I'm awesome, so they love me.  
Emmett: -Pretends to wipe away a tear- I taught her everything she knows.  
BWA: -Eyelids droop-  
Cedric: I think we better wrap this up before she falls asleep.  
Harry: Reviews are love!  
Amber: And we love you!  
Cedric: So leave us some love?  
Emmett: And don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
BWA: -Sags forward and slams head on the desk-  
Cedric: -Flinches- Ow..  
Emmett: -Pokes BWA's arm- She's out.  
Amber: Do you think she felt her head hit the desk?  
Cedric: I don't know.. she didn't make any noise. I'll guess we'll have to check for a bruised forehead when she wakes up.  
Emmett: -Laughs- **


	15. Find Strength In Pain

**BWA: -Fidgets-  
Emmett: What's up with you?  
BWA: I'm nervous.  
Cedric: Why?  
BWA: Because this is a big chapter... it was a little tricky to write. -Takes a deep breath- That being said, welcome back! We've finally reached the fight in the Ministry and I'm freaking out right now. As I mentioned, this chapter was tricky. There was so much going on and I had to weave Amber into while noting everything that was going on around her. I'm still learning as far as writing action sequences goes, but I like to think that I'm getting better.  
Emmett: -Nudges Cedric- Dude, she's shaking. Stop her before she has a panic attack or something.  
Cedric: Um... Elise?  
BWA: Wha? -Looks at Cedric with wide eyes-  
Emmett: Calm your crazy ass down so that these people can read.  
BWA: -Twitches-  
Emmett: -Sighs- Fine, I'll do it myself. -Grabs Elise's arm, tosses her over his shoulder and walks out-  
Amber: Um...  
Cedric: -Shrugs- You can go and read now, we'll go and deal with the crazy person.**

**Disclaimer: Amber's mine, everything else isn't... blah blah blah.. yada yada yada.. **

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* * *

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**_Chapter Fifteen  
Find Strength In Pain_**

Luna led us back into the forest, but to a brighter, friendlier looking part. The dull daylight filtered in through the leaves, catching on warped sections that I didn't completely understand.

"What are we doing here?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Thestrals," Harry answered in a quiet voice.

"Oh," I breathed. _That's _why it looked like there were warped spots everywhere. I couldn't completely see Thestrals, only a transparent outline.

"What are Thestrals?" Ron asked.

"They're like horses but with wings," Luna answered. "They can only be seen by people who've seen death."

"Or Amber," Harry added.

"Not completely," I corrected. "So… how do we get the others to ride something they can't see?"

Luna smiled, reaching out to pet a Thestral as it came to a stop beside her. It was strange to see her interact with something that I couldn't entirely see.

"This will have to do," Harry muttered. "We can't waste any more time. Luna and I will help everyone get settled; Amber, do you think you can find your own?"

"No worries," I answered, taking Cedric's hand and trying to focus on the warped spots. I saw a Thestral standing up straight, watching me. I held my free hand out, keeping my eyes on the animal as it trotted over to me and nudged my hand with its nose. The sensation was completely unique; I found myself able to see the Thestral in more detail now that it was up close. Nonetheless, I still saw straight through it.

"Find one?" Cedric asked.

"Yeah, he's right in front of me."

"This is so weird," he muttered, listening to the horse huff against my hand.

After lining myself up and with a quick boost from Cedric, I was up on the back of my Thestral. I couldn't help but laugh as I looked through the Thestrals body, straight down to the forest floor.

Eventually, everyone was up on a Thestral, some looking incredibly comfortable while others looked nervous and unsure. I could only imagine… while I could see the Thestrals outline, they could see nothing at all.

"Ready?" Harry shouted, watching as we all sat up a little bit straighter. "Let's go!"

Taking a deep breath, I kicked gently against the Thestrals sides, feeling it jump into motion beneath me. Breaking into a gallop, it ran towards a break in the trees before leaping off the ground and stretching its wings. I cried out in surprise as we became airborne, stretching higher and higher into the sky; the shouts and laughter from behind me let me know that the others were up in the air. Harry soon caught up with me, staring straight ahead with a determined expression on his face.

Now that we were on our way to the Ministry, it was all seriousness.

Shivering against the breeze, I hugged myself closer to the Thestrals surprisingly warm body, feeling its wings beat against my legs.

* * *

It was storming angrily when we reached London and I pressed my face against the Thestrals neck as lightning went off and thunder cracked around us. The cool air whipped against my cheeks as we broke through the storm clouds; London's bright lights met us as we swooped closer to the ground.

We found the Ministry easily enough, landing in the nearby park and racing across the street to head down. We used the visitor's entrance in small groups for it was too small to go all at once.

Wasting no time, we broke into a steady jog when we were all together, making our way to the circular room with all the elevators; Harry and I knew where to go for we had been here before. It hadn't been the most pleasant of experiences, but at least we were remotely familiar with the building.

The only sounds that could be heard as the elevator took us down a few levels were the steady breathing of everyone inside. Cedric squeezed my hand every few seconds, needing reassurance that I was okay; if there was any hint of Dark Magic here everyone knew I'd be in pain.

"_Department of Mysteries."_

The gate slid away and I was greeted by a hallway I had seen many times before.

This was it; the hallway from Harry's dreams. I shivered, remembering the night Nagini attacked Mr. Weasley, seeing the snakes' reflection in the black tiles. I felt sick to my stomach being back here.

"This is it," Harry muttered and I knew in that moment that he was sharing my thoughts.

We walked slowly down the hall, feeling the tension grow thick in the air around us. Shadows danced over our bodies as we walked under a series of arches above our heads; when we reached the door I stepped back out of habit. Cedric squeezed my hand and kissed my hair, reassuring me even though he was nervous too.

"It's okay," he soothed me as Harry turned the handle. "One step at a time."

We both knew that if we came across something dark on the other side of this door, my fears would go right out the window and instincts would kick in. I couldn't help my brief moment of fear as we were faced with the unknown. But Cedric was here and he loved me, and that made me strong and gave me the courage to follow Harry as he walked into the next room.

It was silent and completely empty.

Shelf after shelf stacked with dusty glass orbs surrounded us, organized into rows that reached high above our heads. Wands lit up at the tip as we walked further into the darkness while I flicked my fingers briefly, watching as the ball of light formed and floated in front of me, drawn to the energy in my body.

A low rumble sounded from behind us and we all turned to see the door we had just come through float away, revealing another long corridor full of those strange glass spheres.

"We need to find the right corridor," I whispered, looking back at Harry. "Do you remember the number?"

"Ninety seven," he replied; I was as familiar with this as he was, having seen it all countless times in his dreams.

I watched as he turned, looking at the nearest label before continuing down the corridor, mumbling the numbers he passed. "Ninety one, ninety two, ninety three, ninety four, ninety five…" He came to a stop and looked back at us. "He should be here."

"Harry…" Neville spoke up, looking at a particularly bright glowing orb on the dusty shelf. "It's got your name on it…"

Harry walked back to us, coming to a stop in front of the shelf with the orb that glowed brighter with every step he took. Stretching his arm out, he hesitated, looking at us over his shoulder before taking the object in his fingers.

I looked around from the empty spot where Sirius should have been and back to Harry who stood there with the orb in his hand. Voldemort had shown him what was going on… Then it clicked.

That was just it. _Voldemort _had shown him, and because it was Sirius, we hadn't thought twice. Hermione had been right. It was all a ruse, and we were too late to turn back.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…"_

My head whipped back to Harry as a hollow sounding voice echoed out from the orb in his hand.

It was a prophecy…

"… _And the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal but he shall have power the Dark Lord knows not."_

I stepped closer to Cedric, pressing myself against his side as I listened, trying to make sense of it all. Cedric didn't say a word, letting me concentrate.

"_For neither can live while the other survives."_

"Harry!"

I jumped at the sound of Hermione's voice before I looked down the long corridor. Harry stepped in front of us, focusing on the flickers of movement in the shadows not too far from us.

Oh no…

Slow, steady footsteps brought the masked person closer to us; Cedric took my hand and squeezed, watching as my eye colour changed and my lips pulled back from my teeth. There was a threat here and I had made a promise to protect Harry from danger; I refused to break that promise.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry asked firmly, reminding me of who I had made that promise to.

"You know, you really should learn to tell the difference between dreams…" I watched as the figure raised his arm, sweeping the mask from his face with the tip of his wand where it dissolved into a small cloud. "And reality."

Lucius Malfoy.

Almost everyone shifted anxiously as his face was revealed to them, I simply leaned forward, a growl building in my throat.

"You saw only what the Dark Lord _wanted _you to see," he explained. "Now hand me the prophecy."

"If you do anything to us I'll break it," Harry shot back.

A high pitched, off sounding laugh rang throughout the large room as a woman joined us. Her hair was piled on her head, frizzy and sticking in all directions; she was pale with plump lips and mocking eyes.

"He knows how to play!" She cried joyfully. "Itty, bitty, baby… Potter."

"Bellatrix Le Strange," Neville said quietly, his tone laced with fear.

"Neville Longbottom, is it?" She asked with a smirk. "How's mum and dad?"

"Better now they're about to be avenged," he said sharply, aiming his wand at her face. Everyone but me lurched to stop him; my burning blue eyes were locked on the two Death Eaters before us.

"Now let's everybody just… calm down, shall we?" Lucius instructed, looking at me longer than the others. He knew I would not calm down, having dealt with me during the Triwizard Tournament. "All we want is that prophecy."

"Why did Voldemort need me to come and get this?" Harry asked angrily, wanting answers.

Bellatrix gasped. "You dare speak his name… you filthy half-blood!" she cried and I stepped forward, snarling violently. She looked slightly taken aback by my response, keeping her eyes on my face.

"It's alright, he's just a curious lad, aren't you?" Lucius muttered, trying to calm Bellatrix to avoid a fight breaking out between the two of us before it was necessary. "Prophecies can only be retrieved by those about whom they are made. Which is lucky for you, really." He paused for a moment and I looked away from Bellatrix's face to glance around, seeing Death Eaters closing in on us from all directions. We backed up so that our shoulders were touching. I stood by Harry's side and Cedric stood by mine.

"Stay back," I warned, holding my hand in front of me, ready to strike at a moments notice. They stepped closer and I snarled loudly, hearing the sound echo off the walls.

"Haven't you always wondered… what was the reason for the connection between you and the Dark Lord, hmm?" Lucius continued, stepping closer. I shifted my weight from one foot to another, waiting for the order… "Why he was unable to kill you when you were just an infant? Don't you want to know the secret of your scar?" I leaned toward them, trembling with the effort of not attacking yet. They were _so close._ "All the answers are there, Potter, in your hand. All you have to do… is give it to me, and I can show you _everything_."

"I've waited fourteen years," Harry said quietly.

"I know," Lucius crooned, falling for it.

He paused. "I guess I can wait a little longer. Now!"

He stepped away from Lucius and Bellatrix as we chorused a loud cry of "Stupefy!"

Some of the Death Eaters were hit while others deflected the spell, but that was all we needed. Seeing an opening, we broke into a sprint, racing down the nearest empty corridor.

"No!" I cried, yanking on Cedric's arm as Lucius appeared in front of us, only the top half of his body was a solid, the rest ran like rushing water but gave the appearance of black mist. He held his hand out for the prophecy and I snarled at him before turning to run down another corridor with the others.

We split up as we ran, escaping down whatever corridors we could. Cedric and I ran together, our quick breaths and light footfalls the only sounds we made. A Death Eater shot out of the corridor we were in the middle of passing and I whipped my arm past my face. "Stupefy!"

Cedric grabbed my arm and pulled me forward, not giving me the time to see whether my spell had hit its mark.

I could hear the others not too far from us and pushed myself forward; they needed protection… I _had _to be there!

"Come on!" Cedric grunted through his labored breaths and we ran faster down the hall; I gave a soft cry of pain, feeling the burn in my muscles from being around so much Dark Magic.

We reached the end of the corridor and smacked straight into the others. Harry grabbed my arm and looked me over, knowing I'd be in pain. I shrugged it off and pushed him behind me, bracing myself in front of them.

Ginny spotted a Death Eater falling from the roof, his body a ball of swirling mist; she stepped as close to me as she dared, extending her arm and pointing her wand. "Reducto!"

The spell hit its mark and exploded in a bright flash, sending a wave of power rocketing back to us. When it passed, I looked up and took an automatic step back, seeing the prophecies from the higher shelves begin to fall. The shelves began to sway unsteadily and I turned to the others.

"Run!" I cried.

Neville grabbed Luna who had stepped forward, mesmerized by the way the objects fell.

"Get back to the door!" Harry shouted as we sprinted down the hall, the room around us crashing to the ground.

We were barely ahead of the destruction. I could feel shards of glass hitting the backs of my legs through my jeans and I propelled myself forward, keeping behind the others just in case something went wrong. We turned down another corridor, seeing a flash of light down the other end; shelves knocked into each other and rocked forward, crashing loudly behind us, creating an odd chorus with the shattering glass orbs they held.

We made it to the door just in time, running into the next room… and falling straight into open air.

The ground rushed up to meet us, the wind whistling angrily in my ears. I crossed my arms in front of my face, ready for the collision with the hard ground; what I wasn't expecting was to come to a quick stop above the floor. The air whooshed out of my lungs with the force of our stop before gravity took hold and smacked us onto the ground.

I took a moment, bracing myself on my hands and knees and waiting for the violent trembling to pass. The burn of Dark Magic was getting worse and I hissed in agony, feeling Cedric wrap his arms around me and gently pull me upright. I grit my teeth and did my best to ignore it, standing on unsteady legs.

"Department of Mysteries?" Ron muttered as he got up. "Got that bit right, didn't they?"

Harry stood and took slow, careful steps toward a stone arch raised up on what looked like a large boulder. Looking around, I realized the room was full of just that, boulders and stone pillars.

"The voices," he said and I glanced at him as my trembling grew worse. "Can you tell what they're saying?"

"There aren't any voices, Harry," Hermione answered. I focused as best I could, only hearing faint hissing sounds, none of which sounded very coherent. "Let's get out of here."

Cedric stepped forward with the others, keeping his arms tight around me as we joined Harry up by the arch.

"I can hear them, too," Luna said softly, looking up at the empty arch with a curious expression on her face.

"Harry," Hermione interrupted. "It's just an empty archway," she grew restless when he didn't respond. "Please, Harry."

He turned and looked up over our heads, aiming his wand up toward the roof. "Get behind me!"

We quickly grouped around him, Cedric keeping me towards the middle as I gave small cries of pain; the Death Eaters were back…

They were quick and ruthless; swooping in before we could do anything about it. When I felt two unfamiliar hands latch onto my sides I made a noise between a scream and a snarl of agony as a paralyzing burn shot through my body. I had never had direct contact with a Death Eater, only Voldemort, and it had been so long since I had felt such a sharp concentrated form of Dark Magic. The small dose I had received from Umbridge was nothing compared to this.

Once the Death Eater had a good grip, he burst into mist again, this time taking me with him. His hands held me too tight, bruising my skin with the force he used; I struggled weakly in his arms as we settled one of the stone pillars. I clenched my teeth, my blue eyes wide open as I trembled and hissed in pain.

I managed to focus on Harry who was now standing by the arch, the only one left behind, the prophecy gripped tightly in his hand. He looked at each of us in turn, seeing how the Death Eaters held us, showing that they wouldn't hesitate in the slightest to kill us. The one that stood behind me dug his fingers into my side and I cried out in agony, my jaw clenching as my knees gave out. He didn't let me fall to the ground, deciding it was better to keep me upright as I endured the horrid burn.

I met Cedric's eyes from across the room; the Death Eater that stood with him had his arm around his neck. He pulled it tighter and Cedric gasped brokenly, choking on the air he was trying to fill his lungs with. I whimpered through the pain.

A low, ghostly chuckle filled the room as Lucius walked towards Harry. "Did you actually believe, or were you truly naive enough to think that children stood a chance against us?" He walked past Harry before turning back to look at him; I struggled to keep quiet, furious and in complete agony. "I'll make this simple for you, Potter," he began, holding out his arm again. "Give me the prophecy now or watch your friends _die._"

Harry looked around, hesitating.

"Don't give it to him, Harry!" Neville cried as quickly as he could, flinching when Bellatrix shushed him, slapping her wand gently against his neck.

Glancing down at the prophecy in his hand, Harry inhaled sharply before handing it over to Lucius.

The moment he did so I felt the burn in my body ease; so much so that I was able to think and act around it. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, waiting for my head to clear; when I opened my eyes again I stood up straighter, seeing someone standing behind Lucius who hadn't been there before…

Lucius turned slowly, his eyes widening when he faced the rooms newest occupant. His back was to me, so I wasn't entirely sure who it was…

"Get away from my godson."

I watched Harry's lips pull up into a small smile as Sirius punched Lucius in the jaw, knocking him off his feet. The prophecy shattered against the rock before Lucius could save it.

The Death Eater behind me dug his fingers into my sides again and I gasped, feeling a new wave of pain roll over my body, but it was dull, not as overwhelming as before.

Other members of the Order appeared in the room, knocking the Death Eaters away from us. I wasn't sure who got rid of mine, but I was more than grateful.

Tonks shot onto the boulder in the middle of the room, darting in one direction and then another, looking for something. I called her name and she burst into mist again, weaving through the pillars before she appeared behind me.

"Ready?" She cried over the fight that had just broken out. I met Lupin's eyes from across the room, dipping my head with a grin; I was ready to fight with them.

"Let's go!" I shouted, reaching back and taking her hands.

She turned to mist and this time I went with her; my body felt completely weightless as we moved together, ducking and weaving through the room as a single entity, one streak of light. We shot over Lupin's' head as he guided Hermione and the others down into a safer spot; I looked up and saw Cedric fighting with a Death Eater.

"Tonks, down there!" I cried and we leaned to the side, shooting towards the ground. "Now!"

She let go of me when we were at the right height; in less than a second my body turned from mist back to a solid and I slammed into the ground, rolling up into a crouch in front of Cedric, snarling violently at the Death Eater who had been attacking him.

The man glared at me and I shot forward, latching onto him just as he turned to mist; my body felt weightless again as we raced up and around the room. He tried to shake me off, but we were one entity at the moment; still, that didn't stop him from slamming us straight into the wall. I screamed in agony, partly from the Dark Magic burn and from having my body smack against the hard tiles.

"Let go or die," he hissed and I snarled at him, the parts of mist that made up my body moving as I wanted them to. I hooked my arms under his shoulders and pushed away from the wall, propelling us down to the floor. He didn't have time to correct himself and we crashed to the ground; I rolled a little further than he did, my body slamming into a smaller rock.

I got up again and shot spell after spell at him, defending when I needed to. I was so focused that I cast without shouting the incantation, just the thought was enough. A spell hit me in the back and I cried out in pain, feeling the burn sink into my veins; nonetheless, I forced myself to think around it and cast a final spell, throwing as much power into it as I could. It hit the Death Eater in the chest and he fell backwards, the binding spell locking his limbs together.

Raising my arm above my head, I felt Lupin grab my hand and I fell into mist again. Cedric was down with the others and Harry was with Sirius, fighting alongside him as they tried to take out Lucius and another Death Eater. Tonks and Bellatrix tumbled and turned in the air with us; I heard Lupin gasp in surprise before another entity crashed into us. Lupin's grip on me faltered and I fell to the ground, hissing in pain when I crashed against the rocks. I hadn't fallen too far, but it didn't make it hurt any less.

"Expelliarmus!" I heard Harry cry over the chaos around us. I looked up, watching as the black wand shot out of Lucius Malfoy's hand.

"Nice one, James!" Sirius cried proudly and Harry stopped, looking at his godfather in shock and confusion.

I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees, feeling something warm trickle down my cheek but I didn't have time to think about it. I had to get back into the fight; I kept my eyes on Harry and Sirius as I struggled to get up, my limbs shaking.

Sirius knocked Lucius off the flat boulder, watching him tumble to the ground.

Bellatrix appeared on a nearby pillar and flicked her wand. "Avada Kedavra!"

"No!" I screamed; but it was too late.

That horrid, sickly green light that I had seen too many times before crossed the small distance between Bellatrix and her cousin, cracking against his side.

The triumphant smile that had spread on Sirius's face disappeared as he looked over to his godson, the realization of what had just happened taking over before his eyes went blank and he curved backward in a graceful arc, floating through the empty archway and disappearing from sight.

He was gone.

The fight had ended, but we had lost one of our own.

Harry's breath came in heavy, heaving gasps before he started screaming. Lupin ran up to him and locked his arms around Harry's chest to restrict his movement before he did something stupid. I stayed there on that smaller rock, braced on my hands and knees, shuddering and trying to comprehend what had just happened.

When Harry's heartbroken sobs reached my ears I felt my heart break; we had come here to save Sirius but he was in no danger. He came to protect us and lost his life…

A ghostly chuckle rang through the room and Harry's head snapped up, his eyes looking positively murderous. I looked over my shoulder to see Bellatrix slip out of the room. Harry ran past me, intent on destroying her.

"Amber!" Tonks gasped, looking up at me from her spot with Cedric and the others. I didn't look at them, I knew I was bleeding; they didn't need to see the extent of my injuries. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I growled, getting up. I had made Sirius a promise and I intended to stick to it. "Keep the others safe," I told her before getting off the rock I had crashed onto barely two minutes ago. I met Lupin's eyes as I passed him and my world washed over with blue, he nodded sadly as I left the room.

I could hear Harry and Bellatrix out in the main hall and I kept my body pressed against the wall as I followed as swiftly as I could. I would intervene if Harry appeared to be in trouble.

"I killed Sirius Black, I killed Sirius Black," Bellatrix chanted, skipping down the hall. "You coming to get me?" She taunted, laughing.

Harry sprinted after her, throwing a curse when his anger reached its peak. "Crucio!"

The curse hit its mark and Bellatrix gasped in surprise, tumbling to the ground. I pressed my left hand against my stomach, feeling the burn settle in at the use of Dark Magic. The Order was in the other room, there was nothing to dull the burn now as it came back with a vengeance.

I slid along the wall, only stopping when I was right across from Harry. I had a side view of the scene that was playing out in broken, angered pieces. Bellatrix looked up at Harry, her bottom lip trembling as he pointed his wand at her chest, his own heaving with labored breaths; his face was cut and bruised, but he paid it no mind.

A wave of nausea rolled over my when I saw Harry's neck jerk, his eyes rolling back slightly. It was the same reaction I had had that night in Dumbledore's office. It was calmer now, easier to deal with knowing that I had experienced it before.

Harry slowly lowered his arm, fear and confusion crossing his features as he tried to understand what was going on. I didn't dare link my sight to his for I knew that Voldemort was in his head; I wouldn't be able to protect him as a screaming, writhing body on the floor.

I doubled over, wrapping my arms around my stomach and gritting my teeth when Voldemort appeared behind Harry, slinking into view as he solidified from the mist that had brought him here.

"Do it!" He hissed and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to grow used to the burn again. My legs shook and I begged for them not to give.

Harry turned and aimed his wand, but with a strong sweep of the Dark Lord's arm it was clattering against the floor.

"So weak," Voldemort taunted, smiling darkly.

I exhaled in a rush when the burn dulled again, one of the fireplaces on the other side of the room lighting up as someone used the Floo network. Dumbledore stepped out of the green flames, meeting my eyes for a moment before looking back to Voldemort. I found myself once again able to think and act around the burn. I wasn't sure how I found the strength, but as Dumbledore stepped into the hall, I was able to stand upright, my breaths still shaky but stronger than before.

Voldemort's smile faded and he stepped back as Dumbledore walked closer. I began to move away from the wall, slowly heading towards Harry; I needed to get him out of the way.

"It was foolish of you to come here tonight, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, but with a dangerous undertone. "The Auror's are on their way."

"By which time I shall be gone and you… shall be dead."

Dumbledore pushed Harry towards me the moment Voldemort prepared to strike. I grabbed the arm of his jacket and pushed him back against the tiled wall, crouching in front of him and forming a shield around the two of us. Bellatrix slid back into the fireplace, disappearing in a burst of green flames as the spells that Dumbledore and Voldemort cast crashed together with a sharp _crack_.

Voldemort cried out with the effort of keeping Dumbledore away from him and I flinched, steadying myself as static bolts shot around the room, cracking against the walls around us, sending debris falling and smacking against my shield. Harry sat still behind me, only moving when something crashed close to us; other than that he was completely silent, his heavy breathing the only noise he made.

Breaking away from the spell rope they had created, Voldemort held a hand in front of his open mouth where a ball of fire quickly formed. When he lurched forward, the fireball exploded, reaching up to the roof where it quickly took the shape of a large snake, reminding me of the basilisk from our second year. Voldemort laughed as the snake hissed angrily and I leaned away from the heat.

The snake made its strike but Dumbledore was faster. Swinging his arm our widely, he made a slicing motion with his wand and the snake roared in agony, writhing before melting into a wall of flames which Dumbledore threw back to the dark wizard that created them. Voldemort swept them away as Dumbledore cast again, his wand whistling through the air with the speed at which he swung it.

The water from the large fountain behind Voldemort flooded into the hall, wrapping around the Dark Lord before molding into a sphere and lifting off the ground with him inside.

I felt Harry get up and begin to stumble over to Dumbledore; snarling, I pushed the shield away from myself and wrapped it around Harry. I didn't move for it would be too difficult to focus on a moving object when I was moving, too. Besides, I wasn't strong enough to focus any more than I had to, my body was beginning to protest from the fight I had been involved in beforehand. Instead, I stayed crouched on the ground with my eyes on Harry, moving the shield with him.

Voldemort tried to claw his way through the water which didn't help at all; I could hear his gurgling cries of outrage but I paid them no mind. Dumbledore swung an arm behind him, knocking Harry to his feet and in doing so, bringing him closer to me. Harry scooted back and I wrapped the shield tighter around him, hissing in pain as a bit of broken tile scratched down my arm.

The ball of water burst, dumping Voldemort onto the ground. He was quick to get up and I curled in on myself when he threw the water back at Dumbledore who deflected it with a shield of his own. Looking up, I saw Voldemort curl in on himself before he swung his arms out with a loud cry, a ball of energy exploding in front of him and knocking Dumbledore off his feet. Every office window up on the far wall shattered - slicing through the fabric poster of Fudge - and I gave a small cry of pain at the velocity against my eardrums.

Voldemort raised his arms above his head, holding his wand and pointing it sharply at the three of us. I watched in horror as the glass shards rose from the ground before shooting toward us in a deadly point.

"No!" I shouted, lurching forward and draping myself over Harry's body, wrapping my arms tight around him and burying my face in his shoulder. I had to protect him!

The glass shards whistled through the air for a moment before the sound trailed off into a light tinkling. I felt a sharp gust of air roll over my back, whipping my hair over my shoulders. The sharp stabs of the glass never came, all that did was a soft powder that gathered around us in a gentle wave.

I leaned back, glancing down at Harry to make sure he was okay before I stood, turning back to Voldemort and glaring at him with murderous blue eyes. I kept Harry hidden behind me as best I could, my body still trembling from being within such close proximity to the epitome of Dark Magic.

Voldemort sighed angrily before disappearing in a whirlwind of sand-like powder that fell to the ground with a soft whisper.

I cringed in the silence, the burn in my body still as strong as before; he hadn't left us…

Harry inhaled sharply, sounding like he had swallowed something and begun choking on it. I turned to face him just as he fell to the ground. I jumped back a step in surprise, watching as he curled in on himself; the tendons in his neck stood out and his face paled as he gasped for breath, each inhale broken by a gasp or cry of pain.

Dumbledore knelt down by him while I stayed standing, feeling my skin burn as Harry looked up with hollow eyes. "You've lost, old man," he said in a voice that was not his. It echoed with a sound that oozed death and destruction and pure evil. It sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine.

Harry stared for a moment longer before throwing his head back and shouting in pain. Dumbledore looked up at me with worried eyes. "Is there anything you can do?"

"I-I'm not sure," I stuttered, watching as Harry writhed on the ground. "It hurts just to be near him."

"There must be something," he encouraged, pleading. "Don't let him endure this alone."

I bit my lip and stepped forward before dropping to my knees behind Harry. "I promised I wouldn't," I answered quietly before taking a deep breath and pressing my hands against his torso.

The pain was immediate and I screamed with the first wave that rolled over me. Every bone in my body begged me to pull away, to turn and run and get away from this burning heat, but I refused. I had to help, however I could.

I grit my teeth and pressed my hands more firmly against him, squeezing my eyes shut and focusing on each twitch and wriggle of his body under my hands. Taking a deep breath, I pulled as much Dark Magic from his body as I could.

This time, I wasn't able to think around the burn. It enveloped my body so completely that I lost sense of everything around me. My ears rang and my chest heaved; my body trembled so violently that I would have easily believed the ground was shaking beneath me. Nonetheless, I noticed when Harry's writhing began to lessen, because mine increased.

"Don't you dare give in," I snarled through clenched teeth, shocked that I was able to get the words out. "I made a promise to protect you. Don't back out on me!"

Harry stiffened and gasped heavily, his body curling.

Dumbledore leaned forward and I felt Harry shift to look at him. I didn't dare open my eyes for fear that my will would crumble; I didn't need my sight to know how Harry's body was moving, sharing his pain linked us again. "Harry," he whispered. "Harry, it isn't how you are alike, it's how you are not."

Harry braced himself on his hands and arched upward. I kept my hands firmly planted on his torso, tugging more Dark Magic from his body and doing my best not to show how much it hurt, although I knew I was failing miserably. He slumped back to the ground and my body swayed unsteadily, my stomach twisting with the urge to throw up. Nonetheless, every time his cries grew in volume I tugged again and again until they silenced.

Eventually, I pulled enough away for him to lay down completely, his body reduced to twitching and jerking at random intervals. I still kneeled over him, my body shaking violently as I shared his burden, his pain.

"You're the weak one," he said in a quiet voice that I barely heard through the ringing in my ears. "And you'll never know love… or friendship." He took a shaky breath. "And I feel sorry for you."

He gasped, his body jerking again as a new wave of pain washed over us. I clenched my teeth so tight that my jaw began to ache as my body burned hotter, to the point where I thought the intensity would kill me.

A howling whirlwind picked up around us as Harry flipped onto his back, gasping one last time before he relaxed. My blood-curdling scream of agony was the last sound to be heard as the Dark Magic left my body in a numbing rush.

I stayed where I was, kneeling protectively over his limp form; my body swayed as I trembled softly now. The burn was still there but after what I had just endured, it felt almost pleasant. Nonetheless, I inhaled brokenly as it sucked away the last of my energy.

"You are a fool, Harry Potter… and you shall lose _everything_." The voice of the Dark Lord rang in my ears, closer than I expected. From the way the burn felt, he was standing right by us, but I didn't have the strength to raise my head and check.

The sound of people connecting into the Floo network reached my ears before a sharp inhale followed. A quick wind picked up and then vanished just as quickly, the last of the burn disappearing from my body and allowing me to breathe freely.

"He's back," a voice gasped before I went limp and fell back onto the floor.

* * *

"Amber, sweetheart, open your eyes. Come back to me."

I clenched my eyes shut tighter, curling weakly into the soothing warmth pressed against my side.

"There will be time to rest later," the voice continued. "I need you to open your eyes."

A rush of images went off in my head and my eyes snapped open as I pulled in a ragged breath. My back arched and the body wrapped around mine squeezed me tighter. My chest heaved as I tried to remember where I was. I could feel hot tears rolling down my cheeks and a violent ripping sound; it took me a moment to realize that the sound was me. I was sobbing.

"Shh," the voice crooned. "Calm down, it's okay, you're okay now, you're safe."

"He's gone," I sobbed, looking up at Cedric's agonized face. "I could have prevented it!"

He shook his head sadly. "Sweetheart, there's nothing any of us could have done… it happened too fast."

"But I was so close!" I cried. "If I moved just that little bit further I could have protected him!"

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this, Amber." He said firmly, stroking my cheek with gentle fingers, being careful of the gash I knew was there. "This wasn't your fault. You may have protected him but what if that spell had hit you? Sirius knew what he was getting into and he went out fighting for a happy future for those he cared about." He looked me in the eyes, wiping away my tears as they fell. "This was not your fault, okay?"

I nodded, sniffling. "Is Harry okay?"

"He'll be fine," he replied. "Dumbledore is with him."

Exhaling softly, I looked around the room; Ron and Hermione were over with Harry, Dumbledore and the other members of the Order. Lupin had his arms wrapped tightly around Tonks, her face pressed against his chest as she grieved over the loss of her cousin. Seeing everyone bruised and battered made the tears well in my eyes again and I turned my face into Cedric's chest, trying to stifle my sobs.

"Oh, sweetheart," he sighed, tightening his arms around me. "It'll be okay. I love you so much," he rocked me gently. "It'll be okay…"

He held me long after I ran out of tears.

* * *

**Cedric: Dude... was that really necessary? -Points to BWA who is sitting in her chair with duct tape over her mouth-  
Emmett: -Nods- She wouldn't stop rambling. It was annoying.  
BWA: -Glares at Emmett-  
Emmett: Nerr nerrr, you can't do anything.  
BWA: -Muffled speaking-  
Emmett: -Grins proudly-  
Amber: She might have something important to say..  
Emmett: -Pouts- Do I really have to take it off? I'm going to get an ass whooping.  
Cedric: Just for that sake of watching her beat the crap out of you, take of the tape.  
Emmett: -Cringes and turns to BWA- Okay, here's how this is going to work. I'm going to take the tape off but you're not allowed to tell everyone how much you were freaking out while they were reading. You're not allowed to tell me off for carrying you out of the room and taping your mouth up. You're only allowed to say important stuff to the readers. Okay?  
BWA: -Keeps glaring-  
Emmett: -Sternly- Okay?  
BWA: -Nods-  
Emmett: Good. -Reaches for the tape-  
Amber: Be gentle.  
Emmett: I will. Okay, Elise... one... two... three! -Yanks the tape off her mouth-  
BWA: OW! -Slaps a hand over her mouth-  
Amber: I told you to be gentle!  
Emmett: -Holds hands up in surrender- How can you be gentle when the best way to remove tape is to rip it off like a band-aid?  
BWA: Alright, alright. That's enough. -Grumbles- Freaking hell, that hurt.. -Flips Emmett the bird-  
Emmett: -Points to the readers- Only important stuff.  
BWA: -Sighs- The only thing I wanted to point out was that the Epilogue is next.  
Amber: -Sniffles-  
BWA: -Smiles- Well, since I'm not allowed to go on about it, why not tell me your thoughts? Did you like the fight scene?  
Cedric: Reviews are love!  
Amber: And we love you!  
Emmett: So leave us some love?  
BWA: And don't forget to check the blog on Teaser Tuesday!  
Cedric: -Twiddles thumbs-  
BWA: Did you have to use duct tape, Emmett? Sheesh, that crap burns when you rip it off..  
Emmett: -Laughs- **


	16. Epilogue

**BWA: So, is everyone ready?  
Amber: -Bounces excitedly-  
Cedric: I can't believe this is the last chapter.  
Emmett: No kidding. That went so fast.  
Harry: I need to see a shrink so that I can talk about my feelings..  
Emmett: You're already seeing a shrink.  
Harry: ... I need to see another one.  
Cedric: Isn't it a little dangerous for someone to be so troubled?  
Emmett: -Shrugs- Who cares? It's Harry. He was born emo.  
Harry: -Glares-  
BWA: -Chuckles- Okay, okay. Settle down. This is the Epilogue, you two need to at least try to be nice to each other and.. -pauses- I'm wasting my breath, aren't I?  
Emmett: -Smiles- Kinda, yeah.  
BWA: -Shakes head- Well, we won't keep you. I know it's not very long, but here's the last chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I think, by now, we should all know what's mine. Am I right or am I right?**

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter Sixteen  
**__**Epilogue**_

Newspaper articles began showing up the very next day.

_Dumbledore, Potter Vindicated._

_Minister to Resign?_

_Umbridge Suspended Pending Investigation._

_He Who Must Not Be Named Returns._

And my favourite…

_Hogwarts Headmaster Reinstated._

xXx

The school was back to normal. The pictures were once again hanging from every free space on the walls, their happy voices and strange conversations following us wherever we were to walk. The castle was once again full of _life. _

"Amber?"

I turned to see Harry standing at the bottom of the staircase; we had spent the day packing, for we left tomorrow. Our injuries were still healing. Harry had a few nasty scratches on his face, as did Luna while Ron was sporting a large black eye. Since I had been more a part of the fight than them, my injuries were a bit worse. I had bruises all over my back and gashes on my legs and arms, a cut on my cheek and an angry bruise on my jaw.

"What's up, Harry?" I asked quietly, walking over to him. Everyone else was down in the Great Hall for breakfast; I had decided to wait for Harry, not wanting him to be alone too often.

"In the Ministry…" he hesitated, cringing at the memories. "You told me that you had a promise to keep… what did you mean by that?"

I exhaled heavily and ran a hand through my hair, unsure of whether I should answer or not. I decided to tell him the truth; he deserved to know. "When we were at HQ for Christmas, Sirius made me promise to protect you and look after you if something were to happen to him," I paused, watching his face. Pain flickered over his features. "He wanted to make sure you would be well looked after."

He nodded, looking down at his feet. I quickly crossed the room and put my hands on his shoulders, waiting for him to look at me before I spoke, "Are you okay?"

"I'm not entirely sure," he answered. "I'm sad, of course, but I also feel…reassured." I waited for him to elaborate. "Even though my family is gone… they haven't really _left_, you know? And… I have you guys."

I smiled and pulled him to me, "You'll always have us."

We stood there for a moment, embracing in the empty common room.

"So," I began, leaning back with a smile when his stomach rumbled. "Hungry?"

xXx

"I want to thank you, Amber."

I looked away from Fawkes, my fingertips rubbing lightly against his feathered cheek, to Dumbledore who stood beside me, leaning against his desk. "You do?"

He nodded, "For looking after Harry and the others while I was gone. It takes a very loyal friend to do that."

I shook my head, "They mean the world to me and I have these powers so that I can protect people… it was kind of a given, Professor."

He chuckled, squeezing my shoulder. "You are so unique, Amber Dawson," He watched me for a moment before he sighed, "Harry is going to struggle for a while…"

"You want me to watch him over the holidays?" I asked.

"You'd do so without my instruction."

I laughed, "You got me there."

He looked closely at the gash on my cheek. "I'm sorry for everything Umbridge put you through this year."

I shook my head, "Don't apologize; we formed Dumbledore's Army and made such a difference here. We fought back. Everything I have endured this year was more than worth it, knowing we accomplished that."

We were silent for a moment.

"I heard you won over the Centaurs."

I grinned, "Now _that _was something else."

He listened intently as I told him of my experience with the Centaurs, gesturing wildly to better articulate what I was trying to say.

xXx

"Ready for the real world?" I asked.

Cedric sighed quietly, his arms tightening around me as we sat together down by the Black Lake. "I'd like to say that I am, but I'm not. I don't want to leave you."

"I don't want you to leave, either," I answered, leaning back against his chest. "But it's not like we'll never see each other again," I smiled and turned my head to kiss his jaw. "We've been over this before."

"You're right," he sighed, relaxing. "Besides, we've got the rest of our lives to spend together."

I blinked, looking up at his face to see him smiling lazily.

He looked down at me and winked, "What?"

"You mean it?" I asked quietly.

"Of course, sweet girl," He kissed my hair. "I don't want to spend my life with anyone but you; I _will _marry you one day."

"You're making it hard for me to let you leave," I whined.

He laughed and pulled me tight against him, still being mindful of my injuries. "I love you, Amber. Only you."

"I love you, too," I replied softly, smiling against his lips when he leaned down to kiss me.

xXx

Sunlight filtered in through the trees as we walked to the Hogwarts Express on one of the first sunny days we'd had in a long time. I tipped my head back, enjoying the warmth. Ron laughed at me and I poked my tongue out at him.

Harry caught up to us and smiled at me. I reached out and squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. He knew I would watch out for him during the holidays; I had made a promise, after all.

"I've been thinking about something Dumbledore said to me," he told us as we reached the station.

"What's that?" Hermione asked, smiling.

"That even though we've got a fight ahead of us, we've got one thing that Voldemort doesn't have."

"Yeah?" Ron replied, curious.

Harry looked at us, smiling proudly. "Something worth fighting for."

I looked up at Cedric and smiled, squeezing his hand; he pinched my nose and I laughed.

We really did.

_The End_

_

* * *

_

**Emmett: -Hugs Cedric- Our little fella went and got himself all graduated!  
Cedric: -Laughs- Get off me you big bear!  
Emmett: You love it. -Squeezes-  
BWA: -Smiles- Well, there you have it. Fearless has come to an end.  
Amber: -Is fighting back tears-  
Cedric: -Wriggles out of Emmett's arms to hug Amber-  
BWA: Aw.  
Amber: -Blushes-  
BWA: While this is the end of yet another chapter, never fear, because we still have quite a decent way to go.  
Emmett: What's next?  
BWA: The next fic on the way is called "Uprising" so, if you haven't already, put me on Author Alert so that you know when it's up and running.  
Harry: Why do I get the feeling you're going to be all mushy and stuff right now?  
BWA: Because I am.  
Harry: Oh boy.  
BWA: -Laughs- I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed, and to those who have only just found this ridiculous little series. Your support and encouragement is what gets me excited about writing. I love hearing from each and every one of you. You're the reason I write.  
Emmett: -Wails-  
BWA: Someone get the boy a tissue.  
Emmett: -Takes the offered tissue and loudly blows nose-  
BWA: -Grins- Anyway, a few more little things to say before we get out of here. I've recently joined Twitter, so if you're a member, why not follow me? The link is on my profile.  
Cedric: Anything else?  
BWA: Just one thing. -Smiles- You know the drill. For the last time in our crazy Fearless adventure...  
Amber: Reviews are love!  
Harry: And we love you!  
Emmett: So leave us some love?  
Cedric: And be sure to check out the blog for info on Uprising!  
BWA: Until then, take care of yourselves! We'll see you again soon!  
Everyone: -Cheers-  
Harry: -Runs in circles, smacks into a wall and falls over-  
Emmett: -Points and laughs-  
BWA: -Shakes head with a smile- The insanity never ends... **


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